Across the Void
by Pernshinigami
Summary: Dawn and iris fall into a mysterious archway into Shibusen's world, sparking major changes in their lives, and in the lives of Ash, Gary, Brock and Cilan. The six of them must overcome their own fears to save their world. Yaoi.
1. Chapter 1

Notes: Okay, so all the pokemon/soul eater crossovers I see on this site SUCK. And there aren't many. They're poorly written. Bad grammer, lots of made ups. WE CAN DO BETTER! Then I found out the Japanese Seiyuu for Cilan is the same Seiyuu who played Death the Kid. And this crossover was born. XD

Across the void contains YAOI, and while its not immediate, as its story focused, there is enough explicit things in there to warrent the M rating.

Through the archway – Chapter 1 – Dawn and Iris go through the looking glass

"YAY!" Ash kicked up his heals. "REUNION PARTTTYYYY!" Ash had called all his friends for a party to celebrate him turning 18. Misty, Brock, May, Max, Dawn, Iris, Cilan, Barry, Bianca, Drew, Trip, Harley, Luke, Gary, Paul, Zoey, Volkner, Flint, Lenora, Cynthia and Aaron had all gathered in an area of Mount Coronet known for its stone ruins and statues.

"PARTY!" Max and Barry cheered at once.

Lenora just laughed. "I have to say, this is my first time traveling outside of the Unova region. I'm actually more interested in the ruins not far from here than the party."

"I wanna see them too! They're dedicated to Dialga, Palkia, Arceus and Giratina! Those are all legendary part dragon types! Anyone who wants to be a dragon master should investigate the time space legendaries!" Iris gushed, eyes filled with hearts.

"I'll show you where later." Cynthia chuckled.

"I can't wait!" Iris exclaimed. "I want to see the ruined shrine NOW!"

"I'm going too! Save me some of Cilan's pastries and Brock's stew!" Dawn beamed. "After all, I'm a native, I should show a visitor around and be a good host!"

Dawn and Iris ran off into the ruins. "HA! THIS IS AWESOME!" Iris shouted. "Race you Dawn!"

"Axew ax ax!" Axew called out to Piplup across his trainer's shoulder.

"Lup! Piplup pip!" Piplup seemed just as psyched as Dawn was, clinging to her shoulder with a huge pokemon grin on his face.

They entered the shrine, running into the old stone building. It was filled with greek style columns and at the top. "WOAH! LOOK! Paintings!" Iris cried. "oh wow! Lookit this!"

"Its a bunch of dragon and ghost pokemon. It looks like they're digging a tunnel." Dawn noted. "OH WOW! It shows Palkia and Dialga opening some kind of portal!"

"Who's that masked dude, some kinda pokemon?" Iris asked, pointing to a painting of some kind of floating figure in a green and white robe and wearing a barred mask on his face. By his side was a small, bird like puppet. In his hand a small cube. And at his hip, a very old book. Beside him was a black cloaked figure carrying a scythe and wearing a skull mask. A pair of dragon type pokemon Iris would know anywhere were extending their muzzles to them.

"Thats Reshiram and Zekrom! The twin dragons of Truth and Ideals!" Iris cried out in surprise. Whatever they were doing, legendary pokemon from all the regions seemed to be in attendance, offering the two figures their blessings. And the figure's white hand, extended to stroke Reshiram's massive muzzle, conveyed an affectionate, yet skeletal appearance. "Looks like Reshiram has an attachment to the grim reaper. I wonder if that means there's a hidden truth to be found in death?"

"DUSKNOIIIIRRR!" An enormous dusknoir carrying a crystal skull wand and with feathers tied to its head blasted a shadow ball at the girls.

"Uh oh, something tells me it doesn't want us here!" Dawn groaned. "Thats Dusknoir! Its thought that Dusknoir was the inspiration for myths of the Grim Reaper! They say the mouth in its belly is a gateway to the realm of the dead!" she started to panic, scrambling to hide behind a column with Piplup.

The dusknoir powered up a shadow punch attack. "Axew! Dragonrage!" Iris yelled. Iris was not going to back down. A would be dragon master did not /run/ from a wild pokemon attack.

"Axew! Aaaaaaaaax aaaaaaaaaaaax eeeewwwwwwwwwww!" A burst of blue fire lanced from Axew's mouth. It collided with the shadow punch attack, created an explosion that curiously did no damage to the shrine, and suddenly a gateway at the far end of the shrine with two masks above it glowed.

"uh oh!" Dusknoir powered up a high level psybeam attack, which blasted Axex, Iris, Dawn and Piplup backwards and through the portal from the shockwave. But something was left behind to guide the searchers. Dawn's hat and one of Iris' hairclips. Above the archway, the eyeholes on the two masks, one a skull and the other a barred mask, had begun to glow in red and blue.

* * *

"So a gang of Kisshins has taken up residence in this shrine to the south?" Asked Maka.

"Correct. Its the burial place of the Great Wizard Eibon." Shinigami-sama sighed, overlooking the teams that were going on the mission. "There have been strange phenomena associated with that shrine since before Shibusen was built. People say dragons pass in and out of it when the stars align correctly. And that humans who go into it come back with stories of a strange place with mysterious creatures with spiritual abilities that seems to fade in and out of existance within it. The Chupa Cabra brothers are a tribe of Kisshins eggs we've been hunting for two hundred years and they are /vicious/. They wander the deserts, sometimes its decades before they surface again. If we don't try to catch them now we may never get another chance."

"Understood." Kid looked bored outwardly. But inside he was excited. This was his chance to investigate his father's connection to Eibon more /and/ get Liz and Patti more Kisshins egg souls at the same time!

* * *

"Where are we?" Dawn groaned, getting to her feet and rubbing her head. "My hat!"

"my hairclip. It must have gotten blown off." Iris took a deep breath, then leapt to the top of a nearby column. "woah! Dawn I don't think we're in Sinnoh anymore!"

"Oh my god! Look at the sun!" "luuuuuuuuuuuuup!" "axew ax ax!" Piplup followed Dawn's example and freaked out. But Axew, being a baby, waved a stubby paw 'hello' at the sun, which had a face as it sank over the horizon.

"that is so freaky!" Dawn shuddered. "I'm scared now!"

"Dawn this is no time to freak out! We have to rig something to catch water or we're going to die of dehydration out here! There's a city in the distance, but we can only get there safely if we have water!"

"Piplup, pip pip!" Piplup thumped his chest.

"no problem, Piplup will provide all the water we need right? And my Buneary can make ice! We'll keep watered and cool!"

"axew?" Axew turned, head perking as he heard something.

A huge burst of angry green and red energy blasted towards her Dawn. The energy formed into the shape of an eagle with a rattlesnake in its talons. "Snake eating eagle!" A reedy, hissed voice called out. It was soft, quiet, but so sinister. Dawn was sent flying back into nearby stone wall, serious energy burns forming a strip on her body. Iris turned.

The creature who had made it was fading back under the sand. It was furry, and looked like it was part dog, part human, with huge blood stained fangs, glittering angry red eyes, and strange bent back knees with two joints that should give it amazing jumping abilities.

"Montezuma-sama, the girls are alone, they are not witches, we should eat them." A low, scratchy voice echoed from the group.

"Agreeed." the phantom voice hissed. "Cuatemoc, Anasazi, these two are your prey."

"Dawn! Get up! DAWN!" Iris was looking frantically around her. "Piplup, help me! Axew, on your guard!" Iris pulled out her pokeballs. "EXCADRILL! EMOLGA! HELP!"

Dawn groaned to her feet, reaching for her pokeballs. "Quilava! Togekiss! Mamoswine! Pachirisu! Buneary! Help us! We're being attacked!"

"Maaaaaamoooooooooo!" Mamoswine swallowed an ice shard attack, powered up its take down technique and charged.

The monsters laughed, and the leader who had already been identified as "montezuma" viciously leapt into the air and drop kicked mamoswine. "Excadrill, lets take them on, you do Drill run, then follow with focus blast, I'll come after them with a punch and a kick!"

"you're going to attack them?" Dawn demanded.

"Hell yeah, if an ice pokemon that big is beaten by one that easily, then its really trouble. Besides, you heard them right? They're gonna try to eat us! This is life or death! Come on everyone!" Iris shouted. "Axew, dragon rage, emolga hidden power, Excadrill lets do this! Drill run and focus blast!" Iris charged the group.

"Wait for me!" Dawn rushed the group too, fist raised to punch them. "Piplup! Hydropump! Buneary ice beam and follow with bounce! Pachirisu discharge! Togekiss Aura sphere and air slash! Quilava flame wheel!"

The group of monsters laughed. "you think you can beat the Chupa Cabra Gang? We kill all competitors and all opposers and EAT their souls to get stronger! You can't stop us!"

It dissolved into combat. Iris boldly charged Montezuma, punching, kicking, dodging. Dawn could barely keep up, but her coordinator skills were far better help than her hand to hand was.

"I'm scared as hell..." Dawn growled angrily. "But I'm not gonna lie down and die."

"I am a member of the village of dragons... I will NEVER surrender!" Iris growled. "C'mon guys! Lets show them the Heart of the Village of Dragons! AXEEWWWW!"

"AX AX AXEW!" Axew blasted dragon rage at Montezuma.

Montezuma snickered, an evil grin on his face as the girls charged his way. Two of the monsters leapt out of the sand behind Dawn and Iris and charged, slamming them into a nearby stone statue of one of the masked figures they'd seen in the temple. Dawn's vision swum on the statue of the figure with the barred mask. And as Iris' vision began to fade in and out of comprehension she focused on the statue she'd fallen beneath and gasped weakly. "How ironic, I die at the feet of a statue depicting Death."

"WITCH HUNTER!" "SPEED STAR!" There was a rattle of gun fire. "piiiiip... lup lup lup lup lup lup lup!" Piplup yelled, he and Axew charged Montezuma. They weren't the only one, Mamoswine bellowed, and Dawn and Iris pokemon struggled to their feet, fighting the pain of their wounds. "BUNEARRRRRY!" Buneary jumped on Montezuma's head, barraging him with a dizzy punch. "Quilaaaaaaaaava!" Flame wheel. "Excadrill!" Drill run. "EMO EMO!" hidden power. The pokemon roared with rage, firing attacks as they all jumped Montezuma at once.

"p... piplup run... sa... save yourself..." Dawn struggled to speak, her head was spinning.

"LUUUUUUUUUUUP!" Piplup yelled defiantly and Axew powered up a final attack. But the witch hunter attack had gotten there first. Montezuma burst into black energy, which whirled and compressed into a Kisshin's egg soul.

Piplup squealed as suddenly he was charging air, he flapped his stubby wings and fell with his beak impaled through the Kisshin soul. "Luuuuuup..." he whined at the blonde girl who put him in this embarassing position, stumbling around and trying to see around the glowing red orb stuck on his beak.

"Axew! Axew ax!" Axew toddled over to Piplup to help, pulling on the Kisshin's egg soul. Patti laughed. "hahahaha! Thats funny!"

"Patti FOCUS!" Yelled Kid. "We have to kill the rest of them still. we don't know how many there are or if this is the entire tribe!"

The Kisshin's egg soul came off of Piplup's beak with a loud "Pop!" and Axew went flying back from the force of his pulls. "Aaaxxxeewwwwww!" Axew yelled as his tiny arms windmilled in midair and he fell over on his back. The Kisshin's egg soul landed square in his mouth. Axew choked comically on the Kisshin's soul before finally swallowing it. "Axeeewwwww!" its body pulsed with dragon energy, "aaxxeewww..." Axew looked like it was going to be sick. The Pokemon stumbled around, then opened its mouth and...

A blast of dragon rage, ten times larger than normal, burst from its mouth and vaporized two of the chupa cabra gang. Axew fell over and threw up, looking weak, sickly, and very embarassed. "axxewwww..." There was glowing red goo in what Axew had thrown up, but it still looked sick, and there was no Kisshin soul there.

Axew moaned in pain, then passed out.

Cuatemoc called out. "Retreat! Chupa cabra gang retreat!" The Kisshins faded into the sand, and disappeared.

"Get a rescue team out here, we've got injured." A boy's voice yelled. There was running and scrambling and... Iris couldn't track what was going on. Her head hurt really bad.

All the pokemon were injured and weak from the fight. Iris and Dawn had numerous cuts and slashes and they'd hit their heads pretty damn good.

Piplup ran to his trainer. "Piplup pip pip!" Piplup clung to Dawn and cried.

"Excadrill." Excadrill picked up Axew, who was very feverish. He carried Axew over to Iris, who feebly raised her hand to Blackstar as the ninja knelt by her. "There's some herbal medicine in my pack, give it to Axew. Please, it will help. He was a gift from my clan elder... he's gotta pull through..."

Having been rescued from certain death, Dawn gasped to Maka. "They jumped us... my momma, I want momma, and zoey..."

"luuup..." Piplup ran to his trainer and started crying. "luuuuuuuup..."

The weapons emerged in human form. Tsubaki rummaged through Iris' bag and found the medicine in an old fashioned glass dropper. "this?"

"Yeah... its my mother's recipe." Iris said weakly.

Piplup dug in dawn's bag and found some oran berries. He motioned for the other pokemon to come over and divided up the berries between them. He ate his own, and saved the last one for Axew.

"Buneary!" Dawn's buneary grabbed Soul's headband and froze it with ice beam, then used it as a cold compress for Axew.

"Hey! Oh I see, you're trying to tend to your friend huh?"

"Bun!" Buneary looked up at Soul and nodded then back at Axew and whimpered. "Bunearrryyy..."

"What are these things?" Blackstar asked, trying to pet Dawn's quilava. He hesitated, unsure if the flames on his head and back would burn him. The creature accepted the caress for a moment before turning away and focusing on the injured, though it smiled pleasantly at him.

"Remember what shinigami-sama said before we left?" Maka asked. "Strange creatures and dragons have been seen around this shrine."

"Hey! There's a mirror over here!" called Liz. There was a sarcophagus next to a large mirror with carvings of death's mask around it and oak leaves. The sarcophagus was decorated with oak and holly leaf carvings.

Overcoming his reverance, Kid quickly called his father and asked for an emergency medical transport. "Three of the chupa cabra gang have been slain. Including Montezuma, the ring leader. In addition, there are two girls here who seem to be able to summon strange creatures. They're injured and in need of medical attention. In addition, one of their summons, a baby dragon, accidentally swallowed Montezuma's soul. It promptly threw up red goo, and is now very sick."

"Thats not good, I doubt it will die if given medical attention, but the kisshins egg soul reacts with stomach acid in non weapons, thats what the red goo was. The stomach acid was changed into a sludgy substance created by the negative energy of the kisshins egg soul. Professor Stein is enroute with spirit, Azusa, and Sid."

Carved upon it was Eibon's image, two crowns placed to his chest, one of Oak and one of Holly, carvings of a beautiful six petaled crimson flower had been affixed to the elaborate tomb. (1) Standing guard over the tomb were two statues. Soul ran his hand over the carvings on the statues' base. "The voice of the forest sings a dirge for the Green Priest, for who's protection Nature expresses Her Gratitude."

Maka stood watch over Dawn and Iris while Tsubaki administered the herbal medicine to Axew. "its fever is going down..." "axxxewwww..." Axew moaned sickly. "It accidentally swallowed a kisshin's egg. I'm surprised its still alive. Most humans who aren't weapons have really bad reactions to doing so." Tsubaki sighed. Maka looked up at her in concern. "oh they live, but for a while they're very sick. This creature was lucky that we came along. If it weren't here and swallowed that Kisshins egg it would likely die without medical attention. Its summoner is too weak to administer the medicine herself."

"his name is Axew..." Iris breathed, floating in and out of consciousness.

"What is your name?"

"I'm Iris... from the... dragon village..." Iris passed out again.

One of the hover crafts used for student transport and emergencies pulled up. Stein, Spirit, Sid and Azusa jumped out. "We came! How bad is it?"

"over here!" Maka called where she and Tsubaki were tending the two girls.

Dawn swum back to consciousness long enough to see Azusa bending over her. "its going to be okay, we're going to take you to a doctor... can you hear me?"

"Five minutes Candice I know I'm late..." Dawn mumbled, her eyes closing again.

"She's completely out of it."

Iris coughed slightly. "My stomach hurts..."

"Her entire torso is black and blue. I'm surprised she's still conscious." Stein was examining Iris. "She's got a very strong soul, this girl is no stranger to combat. See her muscles? That is a fighter who knows what she's doing. Not a strong fighter, but an experienced one."

"Excadrill!" Excadrill crossed his arms proudly over his chest and lifted his chin. "Exca exca!" He was the reason Iris had so much experience fighting!

"axewwwww..." Axew moaned sickly.

"luuuup." Piplup felt absolutely horrible. Axew swallowed that Kisshins egg trying to get it off his beak! It plopped down next to Axew and began to cry. Then it got up, still wailing and ran back and forth between Dawn and Axew, not sure who he should stay with and protect and really just wanting Ash and Pikachu to come and rescue his trainer.

"its okay." Patti scooped up Piplup. "Your owner will be fine. And Professor Stein is a doctor, he wouldn't let your friends get hurt."

"luuup?" Piplup sobbed, snuggling into Patti's arms and crying.

"emooooooooo... emolga!" Iris's Emolga blushed hugely and jumped onto Patti's shoulder. "emo emo!" It rubbed a sparking cheek pouch to Patti's cheek in a gesture of affection.

"For a creature that goes 'emo emo' you sure seem happy!" Patti exclaimed, patting the flying squirrel pokemon on the head. "you're both so cute! nee, nee, Kiddo-kun, can we take them home with us?"

"emoooolgaa!"

"They already have owners Patti, you shouldn't try to take them away from that."

"So this is the tomb of Eibon huh?" Sid was looking around. "This is real strange statuary. I recognize Eibon's symbol, the crowns of oak and holly, but not much else."

"The crowns of oak and holly?" Kid asked, looking at one of the carvings of oak leaves.

Sid nodded. "A crown of oak leaves and a crown of holly leaves entwined with each other is Eibon's symbol. It comes from the legend of the Oak and Holly Kings. Two gods of the forest who were actually halves of the same Soul. When winter turned to spring, the King of Oak would slay the King of Holly, only to become him in the autumn. And in the spring the Oak King would be born anew. It was a story about rebirth, and the interconnectedness of the living and the dead. It is a sign that Death is not final, it is cyclical, and one day our deceased loved ones will be reborn, and meet us again in the next life."

"ah, a reincarnation story."

Sid nodded. "The Story of the Oak and Holly Kings was Eibon's favorite. But for now, lets get the others home. The story is in the Shibusen library under cultural information on Magic users."

Kid nodded. He sighed, looking at the strange creatures, Mamoswine staggered to his feet. He looked over at the other pokemon.

"mamooooo..." It said to Quilava.

"quil!" Quilava nodded. It powered up flame wheel and began to write in the sand by burning it to glass. Quilava made an arrow. Then the initials I and D. Then it leapt into the air and used ember to burn a picture of Dawn and iris into the sand and the Kanji for "Warning! Monster!" before it turned, falling into line behind Spirit.

"Hey thats pretty clever of you." Spirit grinned. "its okay, we'll take care of you and your owners so don't fret."

Emolga and Togekiss leapt into the air and circled around, waiting to follow them. Spirit looked up at Mamoswine. "you'll have to follow the transport."

"I'll escort it home." Soul yawned. "Looks like mister mammoth over here has a nice fuzzy back to nap on."

"mamo?"

"We're going to that city there." Soul told Mamoswine. "The castle in the center is where they're taking your owner."

"mamooooo..." It crooned, ducking to let Soul climb on.

"hey, thanks. You're one cool cat, for a mammoth."

"mamoswine."

"I'll go too. It will leave more room for the injured." Maka climbed up on Mamoswine's back with Soul.

The transport started off, quickly outpacing Mamoswine with sirens blaring.

Some hours later, sublimely unaware of Dawn and Iris plight, Ash was training with Gary, showing off the pokemon he'd caught in Unova while his old rival flicked through Ash's pokedex to see what pokemon he'd encountered on his Unova journey.

"Its supper tiiiiiiime!" Cilan exclaimed, ringing a dinner bell.

The pokemon came running. "pikaaaa!" Pikachu started shoveling food into his mouth. Gary's Umbreon took a hesitant bite, then squealed. "umbreeeee." with hearts in his eyes.

"its supper time, but I can't find Iris or Dawn anywhere." May said worriedly. "Beautifly and Wartortle are searching for them."

"Beauuuuuuuuut!" "tortleeeee!" Wartortle and Beautifly came running back the way they'd come, carrying something in their paws and panicking.

They had some superficial wounds on them. "This is from a shadow punch attack." Brock said as he inspected them. "I have a bad feeling."

"Pikachu?" Pikachu asked. "Pika pika?"

"Wartortle!" "beautifly beau!"

Gary picked up what the pokemon had handed them. "This is Dawn's hat! And that hair clip belongs to Iris!"

"We have to search for them." Ash dug into his pocket and pulled out a pokeball. "Tranquil! I choose you!"

"tranquil!"

"Tranquil go find Dawn and Iris!"

"Crobat! Help them!" Brock threw another pokeball.

"Herdier be their tracker! Track dawn and iris by their scent!" Lenora ordered.

"Herdier!"

The group of pokemon ran off, with Pikachu leading the way.

"Ash, you should eat while they search."

"Pack mine to go."

Brock nodded. "i'll pack a thermos."

"I'm really worried." Ash told him. "I don't think I could just sit here and eat."

He caught up to Pikachu twenty minutes later to find the pokemon sitting in a half ring around an archway. There was something in the archway that was glittering, undulating like some kind of squishy mirror. It was clasped by statues of Palkia and Dialga, and Ash knew better than to touch an artifact belonging to them without backup. "pikachu, did Dawn and Iris go in there?"

"pikaaaaa..." Pikachu nodded, looking worried.

"I'm going to get the others, keep watch on the portal. If someone comes through, send Tranquil to find me."

"Pikachu." Ash turned and ran off.

* * *

"Ash, do not go into that archway until we can get there!" Professor Rowan warned. "Professor Oak, Professor Juniper, Professor Fennel and I are enroute! Cynthia, Lenora, your orders are to translate the runes in that shrine and have them ready when we arrive. It could tell us where Dawn and Iris have gone."

"But Professor!" Ash protested.

"Ash, those ruins are dangerous." Professor Rowan warned him. "They say that whoever goes through that Archway is taken away by Death."

Ash drooped, already thinking the worst.

* * *

1. While the flower is a Gracedia, the use of oak and holly leaves has nothing to do with pokemon, rather the Oak and Holly are celtic symbols of the green man, who has been depicted in oak leaves to reflect youth, and Holly to reflect age.


	2. Chapter 2

Part 2 – The Divine Light of Verity and the Shamen of Dragons

Dawn woke up screaming in terror. In her dreams, Montezuma was attacking her, ripping her apart.

"shhhhh, its okay." Moonlight from the laughing, bloody moon lit the room.

Dawn was looking up at a slim, blonde haired girl with pale green eyes. She had her hair up in pigtails, and wore a jacket and a plaid skirt. "Who are you? Where am I? The monsters, where did they go?"

"Well, that little dragon critter took out two of them." The girl pointed to Axew, sleeping on a pet bed on a veterinary medical table. Piplup had curled up beside him, unwilling to let the dragon pokemon be alone in his sickness. "And all the summons jumped the ring leader and killed him at once."

"They're called pokemon." Dawn said sleepily. "You act like you've never seen one before."

"uh, honestly I haven't." The girl chuckled. "They're really cute though, I was surprised a creature that small could pack that much of a punch."

"Where's Iris?"

"The other girl? On the other side of that curtain." The strange girl drew a curtain nearby aside to reveal a bandaged Iris sleeping soundly. "She broke a lot of ribs trying to protect you. I can see why the Chupa Cabra gang has eluded Lord Death for so long. They're absolutely brutal."

"The who?"

"The monsters who attacked you, they're called the Chupa Cabra Gang. They're a tribe descended from the Ancient Aztecs who consume human souls as sacrifices to the gods. It turned them into monsters called Kisshins."

"You mean those... THINGS... were human once?" Dawn freaked out so badly she almost fell off the bed. She shuddered. "How could something so terrifying and evil EVER have been human?" Dawn shrieked.

"lup?" Piplup woke up. "PIPLUP!" It jumped onto the bed and hugged Dawn, crying.

"Piplup! Its okay... I just freaked out thats all." Dawn tried to reassure the pokemon.

"I never got to introduce myself. I'm Maka, a scythe meister. My partner is Soul Evans. Last I checked he was sleeping out in the courtyard with that weird mammoth creature."

"His /name/ is Mamoswine." Dawn giggled. "And this is Piplup, Piplup was my very first pokemon partner, so he's real special."

"Lup!" Piplup bowed.

"i'm Dawn, a pokemon coordinator from Twinleaf Town in the Sinnoh region." Dawn said shyly.

Maka sighed, scratching her head. "I've never heard of there."

"And I've never heard of a region where the sun has a face." Dawn retorted. "Or the moon for that matter." she looked out the window and shuddered.

"So what's Sinnoh like?"

"is a huge island with a mountain range that almost divides it in half. There are amazing ancient ruins on the mountain. Its a place where people live in harmony with nature, and pay homage to the Time Space Pokemon, Dialga, Palkia and Arceus. I was on a picnic with some friends I hadn't seen in a long time, and since Iris is from the village of dragons I thought I'd take her to visit the shrine to the space time pokemon. They're dragon pokemon just like hers. Only... we were attacked by a wild Dusknoir. Axew tried to protect us, but when its dragon rage technique went through an archway, followed by Dusknoir's shadow ball attack this archway behind us activated. Then its attacks collided with Axew's and made an explosion. We got flung through the archway by the blast wave. The next thing I know I'm waking up in the shrine where you guys found us." Dawn started to cry. "What's my mom gonna say when I don't come home? My friends will all be frantic!" Dawn sobbed.

"Piiiiiiiipluuuuuuuuuuuuup!" Piplup sobbed.

"i... I'm sorry... I'll do my best to help you find your way home Dawn. I promise." Maka held out a hand to the girl. Dawn hesitated, taking it. "A friend of mine knows a lot of ancient knowledge, but she's away on a mission. She's not due back for a couple of days. You're just gonna have to rest. I promise, you're safe here, no Kisshin /dares/ come near Death City if it wants to live. There's too many people trained in slaying them and they're too afraid."

"They sure weren't afraid to eat a helpless girl." Dawn mumbled as she fell asleep.

* * *

The next morning, Maka told Shinigami-sama before school what Dawn had said. He sighed. "When Eibon, Asura and I were children. We discovered a portal to another world. It was a hole ripped in space. We spent a few decades exploring that world, and we met the Gods who lived there. The Kami who lived in that world were known as Legendary Pokemon, each had a territory that they protected. If the girl is from Sinnoh, I suspect we will be hearing from Palkia and the other legendary pokemon very soon."

"What are these gods of pokemon like?" Kid asked.

"Well they certainly do not look like you or I." Shinigami-sama chuckled. "Palkia was an enormous pink and white dragon with pearlescent pink gems in its shoulders. Palkia-sama had amazing psychic range, able to detect souls from very far off and pick out and identify multiple wavelengths at a distance that I always found astounding. No shinigami nor any user of Soul Perception has ever matched the range of Palkia's vigilance."

"There's a legend in Sinnoh." Shinigami-sama continued. "Originally there was the one, which split into two, time and space. The one then created the three, who represented the courage, the wisdom, and the compassion of human souls. We may be hearing from them soon as well. The other deities known to the sinnoh region are the Forest's Gratitude Shaymin, the Soul in Reverse Giratina, the Lord of Nightmares Darkrai, the Flame of Lava Heatran, the Lady of Peaceful Dreams Cresselia, and the Giant of Continents Regigigas."

"Why do you think "The Three" will be coming soon?" Kid asked.

"Because, I looked at Dawn's soul through the mirror. It shines with a force called "Divine Light." It is the power of one who is blessed by one of these Deities. Every so often one of these creatures will choose a human as a spiritual envoy. When they do, that human's soul gives off a radiant glow as a sign that they are blessed. Because Dawn's soul shines with the light of the being of compassion, the Legendary Pokemon who blesses her will likely try to locate her and return her where it belongs or declare itself as her protector."

"Why do you refer to these creatures as an 'it?'" Patti asked innocently.

"I have never been able to distinguish a gender on any of the Legendary pokemon, even though most regular pokemon clearly have a gender if you watch their behavior and tastes carefully."

"So who is this One? Or the two?"

"The One is Arceus, he is a creator deity and very powerful. He's supposed to be the origin of every pokemon technique known. The "two" are Dialga and Palkia, representing time and space. And the three are Azelf of Valor, Uxie of Acuity, and Mesprit of Verity."

"Interesting." Maka mused. "Acuity means clarity. Valor is pretty self explanitory. And Verity means the state of being truthful and honest. Which one does Dawn's soul shine with?"

"Mesprit's Light of Verity." Shinigami-sama replied. "I think the fact that the chosen one of one of the beings appeared was a coincidence, but it also means that Mesprit may go to great lengths to get her back."

"What about this other girl? I sensed traces of Magic in her soul." Azusa said quietly.

"She is a member of the village of dragons. They have a long history of Earth Shamanism. Something allowed under Shibusen's rules about Magic."

"What makes Earth shamens different, by the way?" Blackstar asked. He knew that Fire and Thunder, Kilik's weapons, were nature shamens.

"Those with magical souls, be they a witch or not, are exceptionally sensitive to their environment. Nature Shamens have a strong passive empathy with nature. They can sense dark energies, they can sense bad weather coming, many can sense when spirits are present, and even detect the presence of a hidden kisshin before they reveal themselves. They have an unusually powerful empathy that makes them good scouts. Its almost like Soul Perception except for natural processes rather than souls. Its a magical sense that both worlds seem to have in common. We also found that the forces that make witches evil on our world are absent there. Any magic users from that world wouldn't be under the influence of the sway and be safe to be around."

"In other words there's no need to hunt witches there."

"Nope!" Shinigami-sama beamed. "In many ways, the world of pokemon is an idyllic one. There are very few threats that come from there. Its almost as if the witches who dwell there are the polar opposite of the ones on our world. In fact, the village of dragons elder is a Witch I asked to guard the Unova region's side of the rift. Its unfortunate, but the tear alternates between coming out in the Dragon Village where Iris lives and the Sinnoh shrine where these two came through from."

"you mean..."

"The Dragon Village is a Holy place where the Dragons Zekrom and Reshiram guard the portal, overseen by the priestess of dragons. Though Iris is a nature shamen, occasionally you see witches or other magefolk come out of their bloodline. And weapon blood is most /certainly/ present, though latent, in their village. You have no need to fear from her though, or the Dragon Folk she leads and guides. The Dragon Folk are a breed apart, human or mage folk. The Dragon Witch who is their elder is quite friendly. She speaks little, and I must imagine by now her body would be quite elderly." Death sighed. "I must give her a call fairly soon, and let her know her clanswoman is here. Kid, can you keep watch on the girls in the infirmary. Stein will come in to check on Axew fairly soon. And I'll come in tonight when school hours are over. Fortunately, I'm far more familiar with pokemon first aid than you."

"Will it be alright?"

"If a non weapon swallows a Kisshins egg soul, it won't kill them, in fact it will raise their spiritual power just like a weapon would. However, it infllicts severe fever, and very often will cause their stomach acid to thicken and turn red until the fever passes, causing severe nausea. Their body tries to sort out the energy the kisshin soul gives off. The negative energy reacts with the stomach acid and is stripped away. The body has trouble dealing with the sudden influx of negative energy, so it gives a powerful immune reaction. Thats why I had Axew put on IV and oxygen earlier, as well as an immune suppressant. With any luck it will lessen its immune system's reaction to the kisshin's egg soul. Once Axew's body has stripped the kisshins egg down to its individual components, then the pokemon's soul will integrate the parts of the kisshin soul it swallowed into itself and the pokemon will become far stronger, displaying not only monsterous physical strength or speed, but also more powerful attacks that it will have a hard time learning how to aim. Axew has quite a long recovery ahead I suspect. Stein checked its markings, the poor thing is only a baby."

"Thats horrible. For a baby anything to get so sick." Tsubaki shuddered.

Blackstar drooped. "A world so alien that even the Witches aren't the same. Those two girls are very far from home." Then he perked up. "I THE GREAT BLACKSTAR WILL USE MY BIGNESS TO PROTECT THEM AND COMFORT THEM IN THEIR GRIEF!" Blackstar yelled. Then he puffed air out gustily and stuck his nose up. "After all, a big man protects people who are lost far from home!"

Kid chuckled, and turned to leave and keep an eye on their guests.

* * *

As soon as they'd left, Shinigami-sama opened a special switch at the bottom of his mirror's frame, and flicked it.

A world away, the Dragon Village's elder had secluded herself away in private, meditating as she chanted softly. "Jooooma joooma daburasa... joooma jooooma daburasa." the elder chanted far more slowly than the witches in Shibusen's world, a tibetan singing bowl in her lap as she slowly moved the striker over it, the ringing rolling from the shrine as she meditated upon the energy of the Twin Dragons. Lately, her thoughts had turned to Shinigami-sama, Eibon, and Asura, more often than they usually did. The gateway had remained sealed for eight hundred years, and she felt sad that this other world had forgotten.

Then inside a cabinet at the back of the shrine, she heard a familiar chime. It was the sound that Shinigami-sama used to signal that he wanted to talk to her. "You stood me up for eight hundred years and you call to ask a favor /now/?" The elder demanded as she opened the mirror cabinet.

"Sorry... stuff happened."

"What stuff?" Then she gawked. "your VOICE! YOUR MASK! Death-kun, what did you DO? And your soul, I cannot see it in your body! You have some /explaining/ to do mister!"

"Gomen-ne, Obaa-chan. Asura was sealed for 800 years. I had to chain my soul to the land to keep him put."

"And Eibon?"

"Dead, I buried him near the rift in our world."

The woman's hands flew to her mouth. "Ooooooooooh, ooooooooh, shinigami-kun... soul brother of my heart." She reached out to touch the mirror, tears coming to her eyes. "I'm so sorry..." She cried, pressing her forehead to the mirror. "you are like a brother to me, when you and Eibon never came back, I thought you'd abandoned me. Oooooh, how did Eibon die?"

"Arachne killed him, murdered in cold blood. She disabled his powers and tied him up, then caused a massive electromagnetic explosion."

"I'LL KILL HER!" Tiamat roared in anger.

"Tiamat, please, she's already dead. One of our scythe meisters, Maka, slew her. Eibon has already been avenged."

Tiamat, the Elder Witch of the Dragon Village just sat there listlessly on her knees, sobbing. "And so, two of my three brothers are lost. One to the darkness, one in cold blood." The elder sobbed. "Why, after so long, did you call me to tell me such horrible news?" Tiamat asked. "I could have lived for centuries and died, thinking that Eibon was still out there, that you were FREE. Why did you rob me of such hope?"

"Because Iris is here."

"IRIS? ON YOUR WORLD?" Tiamat shrieked. "I am coming to get her immediately!"

"You've never been through the rift. And you'll need to travel all the way to Sinnoh, while the rift is open there you can't open it in Unova. If you go on foot, you'll be traveling for months."

"I KNOW!" Tiamat just sobbed. "I lost Eibon, I'm not losing Iris too!" Tiamat declared. "It could be a month or more before I make it there, probably more. But tell her that I'm coming. I don't want her to feel hopeless and alone. I know what happens to those who feel such despair on your world." Tiamat shuddered as she remembered what it was like when Asura broadcast his pain. Many of the pokemon dwelling in the valley 800 years ago fell over, catatonic, then wasted away and died as a result.

"Alright, I will expect you. Safe traveling Earth Dragon."

"Thank you Soul Brother. Watch over my Clansman well."

"You are my Soul Sister, technically that makes her my niece." Shinigami-sama chuckled.

Soul Siblings were unrelated people who had a strong spiritual feeling of kinship between each other. They considered each other's families their children. Tiamat and Death had such a bond with each other, and Tiamat had had that bond with Eibon and Asura too, when they were children.

* * *

Soul had fallen asleep next to Mamoswine. The other large pokemon, Excadrill and Togekiss, had curled up on either side of him. It was quite warm. Crimson eyes fluttered open and came face to face with a massive wall of brown fur. "Hmmm?" Then. "oh thats right."

there was a soft, groaned. "mamooooo..." A massive tusked head turned to inspect Soul carefully.

"Good morning." Soul yawned quietly. "That sure was a comfortable night." He rubbed the massive brown head gently. Mamoswine groaned in pleasure, and Soul felt muscles flexing beneath the mass of fur. "Your trainer woke up last night by the way... my partner talked to her. She's really tired, and really scared."

"Mamoooooo." Mamoswine bristled.

"Its okay, Maka won't let anything happen to her, neither will the headmaster. You're safe here, and so's she. Its just that she's somewhere new and everything is so strange."

"swiiiinneee." mamoswine relaxed, stretching its trunk like legs sleepily.

"Whatcha doin?" Soul carefully eased Excadrill and Togekiss to the ground and Mamoswine got up, moving to a nearby apple tree.

"Mamoswine." it got up on its hind legs, leaning on the tree, and shook.

"WOAH! Careful!" Soul started laughing as the apples fell down.

Togekiss woke up, so did Excadrill. "Tokiiiii!" "Exca!" The two pokemon called out. The other pokemon all ran over from their hiding places in the park courtyard. Soul chuckled as three of the smallest nearly ran him down. "BUN!" and Buneary bounced on his head. "Woah cooooool!" Soul giggled in a decidedly uncool manner. But the scenario was rather funny.

Maka sighed, Soul had missed the entire meeting. She strode across the courtyard. "OYE! SOUL! You slept through the morning meeting."

"Sorry." Soul stretched. "I was making sure the creatures from last night are okay."

"I found out what they're called, pokemon. It turns out that they're from another world, and Lord Death explored it as a child. There's a rift near Eibon's tomb that opens up sometimes."

"oh great, so we could be seeing more." Soul watched the pokemon gobble up the apples, then look up at him and Maka. Emolga ran up to Maka and blew a kiss at her, hearts floating above its head. "emooooollgaaa, emo emo!" it looked up at her with enormously cute eyes.

"Oh dear. You might not want to..."

"makaaaaaaa, chop!" Maka chopped Emolga. "No way in hell am I kissing a flying rat!"

"MOLGA!" Emolga yelled, opening his mouth and pointing down it to indicate she was still hungry.

"Maka, I don't think it was trying to kiss you, I think it was begging for food."

Maka facefaulted. "Why on earth would a flying squirrel that shoots electricity use a blown kiss and cute eyes to BEG for food Soul? Thats stupid!"

"Emolga..." Emolga face faulted.

"Exca..." Excadrill walked over to Maka. "Excadrill. Exca exca." It looked up at her expectantly.

"damn, how do I figure out what you want?"

"Excadrill?" It mimed ponytails on its head with its claws.

"OOOOOOOH. You want to see your trainer!"

"Exca!" Excadrill nodded.

"Sure." Maka told him. "Anyone else who can fit in want to visit?"

"Mamooooo." Mamoswine drooped.

"Its okay mamoswine, I'll come check on you at lunch okay?" Soul asked.

"mamooooo..."

"Mamoswine seems pretty sad." Soul sighed, he turned around and stroked Mamoswine's head pityingly. "I'm sorry mamoswine, the halls just aren't big enough for you to come in and people to fit too." Soul sighed.

"you two seem to have built up quite a rapport." Maka chuckled. "Thinking of going into monster taming?"

"Maybe, I just feel so bad for Mamoswine, all its friends can see its trainer but its just too big."

* * *

Ash woke up with his eyes red and gritty from crying. He was curled up with Gary, naked, same sleeping bag. Oh yeah, they'd promised each other that when Ash turned 18, they'd celebrate. In the sexiest way possible.

He heard Misty's voice outside the tent, and snuggled deeper into Gary's arms, not wanting to face the day. It was his fault, if he hadn't had them all meet in this part of sinnoh... after all, Nimbasa City was the battle mecca of Unova. It would have been so much easier to have this reunion there and there were more fun things to do. But noooooo, Iris, when she'd heard that the Time Space Pokemon were /dragons/ had to see their temple.

That reminded Ash, he should have called Sabrina about Iris' disturbing tendency to predict the weather. Cilan chalked it up to air pressure pushing on Iris' bones, creating something he called a weather ache. Ash had often wondered if it was some kind of psychic sense like the Saffron Gym leader's.

"So Lenora, what did you and Cynthia find last night?"

"The story in the temple tells of how the legendary pokemon of Sinnoh and Unova met three divine beings, the God of Fear, the God of Death, and the God of the Green Wood. These gods were children when they stumbled upon a rift in space that had two end points, Unova's dragon village and here. The rift lead to another world where gods, witches, demons and men dwelled." Lenora reported. "After many years, the God of Fear turned upon the other two, and killed many pokemon in the process. The God of Death attacked the God of Fear. The two fought a titanic battle, and the God of Death pushed the God of Fear back into their world, never to be seen again. He left the tribe currently living in the village of Dragons to guard the rift in space. On this side, he left One like his Own to guard the opening."

"hmmm..." Ash could 'see' May frowning as she spoke. "One like his Own. Some people call Dusknoir the Grim Reaper Pokemon. Perhaps 'One like his Own' means a Dusknoir."

"It could mean a Chandelure too." Lenora pointed out. "Chandelure /also/ lead souls to the other side. Though they're more predatory than anything else."

"is there any truth about another world?" Misty asked.

"Well don't forget our experience with the Unown Misty." Brock pointed out. "/They/ dwell in another dimension. So why can't there be a dimension where Death, the Forest, and Fear all have their own avatars. I mean... here Azelf is the avatar of bravery, Uxie of wisdom, and Mesprit of emotion. Darkrai is the avatar of nightmares and Cresselia of dreams. And lets not forget the Reverse World that Giratina dwells in."

The thought of Iris and Dawn alone with the God of Death and the God of Fear made Ash /shiver./

"Does it say what the God of Fear wanted?" Cilan asked.

"Yes, the inscription says that the God of Fear wished to devour the souls of the Time Space Pokemon and the Twin Heroes." Cynthia yawned, though her tone was grim. "I don't think we should traverse the Portal. A God of the Green Wood sounds benign. But the God of Death is bad enough, a God of Fear that consumes the Souls of Legendary pokemon is /not/ a being I want to see coming through there. We need to get Iris and Dawn /out/ and close the portal.

"I'm going to follow the lead about Dusknoir." May told Cynthia. "It may know how to close the rift." There was the sound of footsteps as she turned to go.

"Let me go too sis!" Max ran off after May.

"how's Ash?" Misty asked Brock quietly.

"not good, he cried himself to sleep last night." Brock pulled the side of the tent away so that he could check on Ash. Ash snuggled tighter against Gary. His ass was gonna hurt when he got up. But he didn't want to move. He knew that Dawn and Iris needed him, but... hadn't Professor Rowan said to stay put. And Gary's arms were so comfortable.

He drifted off to sleep again to hear. "Pikaaa?" Pikachu and Umbreon were there, curled against their twined trainers. "Pika pika!" Pikachu held up Misty's watch, which said "ONE PM?" Ash shrieked. "Pikachu why didn't you wake me sooner?"

"pika pika." Pikachu deadpanned, face twitching.

"Yeah, I know, Gary and I did it. So what?"

"Pikachu."

"Well yeah, wouldn't have wanted you walking in on us." Ash said glumly. "I was so worried about Dawn and Iris last night. I was afraid that I'm not gonna get them back." He sighed. "Then I dreamed about Azelf last night, he was really worried too. But then he took off with Mesprit and tried to show me something. And I saw a huge castle in the desert with skulls all over it."

"Well mister dreamer, do you want to know what Lenora and Cynthia found out last night?" Misty crawled in, carrying a tray of food.

Gary groaned awake. "hey Misty, what a timely entrance."

"I heard Lenora and Cynthia reporting back earlier. Woke up just long enough to hear and then went back to be... what's this?" Misty had put a package in front of Ash.

"Well... I got you a birthday present. Each of us made part of it and then Dawn's mom put it together into a whole piece."

Ash opened the wrapped package. "Oh WOW!" Ash cried out in delight.

"Charizard is on his way, but it will take him a few days."

"Good, I'm gonna need him. I'm gonna have to be ready to fight a God of Fear right?"

"It looks that way." Misty said grimly. "And a God of Death and possibly a God of the Forest."

"I'm scared, but I've got to save them." Ash said quietly.

Gary pulled Ash closer into his arms and popped one of the oran berries from the breakfast tray into Ash's mouth. "EAT first. If you want to challenge a god of fear you're going to need all the food you can get."

"We're trying to get more information. Professor Juniper is trying to reach Iris' clan leader, but she's not there."

Ash nodded, looking into the teacup Misty had brought him. Gary kissed his cheek. "Ash, we'll sort this out, but this is one place where your passion isn't going to help you. Please, wait for me to go with you."

* * *

"Mesprit!" Dawn was dreaming, the being of emotion had floated over to her Dawn hugged Mesprit tenderly. "mmmm, you're so warm. Its been years hasn't it? I'm surprised you recognize me after all this time. I'm grown. Even my chest got bigger. I'm a young woman now."

"I could never forget you Dawn, I recognized you by your soul."

"you can talk?"

"Of course, I am a psychic pokemon, and this is your dream. You and I have a bond Dawn, it even spans worlds. And you have a beautiful power inside you. It may not be the same as Iris' but you have it just the same. I have blessed you with my light, and you will prosper." Mesprit said quietly. "Awaken Dawn, and show the God of Death your Light."

"Wait death?" Dawn asked. "I'm not dead am I?"

"no, Death is a person, but he is a very nice person. He will protect you, please trust him? I did once, he made the time I was awake... happy..." Mesprit said quietly. "He was a very nice man, I would have asked him to be my trainer if pokeballs had existed back then."

"I don't understand."

"A long time ago, humans walked with the Gods. But the darkness came, and to protect the people and pokemon, the First Death put his people to sleep, and moved all those affected into this world. But the two worlds remained connected, and The First Death's many times grandson found the portal. He and his friends would use it like Alice did her rabbit hole. They met the Legendary Pokemon and explored the world their ancestors came from."

"Why are you coming to me now..."

"You have a beautiful power inside of you Dawn, sleeping away, you and Iris both. It is time... awaken..."

* * *

Kid spent his morning working on his schoolwork in the infirmary, keeping an eye on Dawn and Iris. "aaaxxewwww..." Axew's eyes fluttered open weakly.

Kid got up, a small smile on his face, after all Stein had said Axew was a baby. "hey there... you're gonna be okay..." He patted Axew's head gently.

"eewwww?"

"you swallowed something you shouldn't have, it made you really sick."

"aaaaaaxxxx..."

"iris is safe, do you want me to move you over to her bed?"

"axew..." Axew said pityingly, nodding weakly. The poor pokemon was on an IV and a respirator.

Kid carefully moved Axew's medical table, the iv and the machine to Iris' bed side. "Her ribs are broken, but she'll be okay, she just needs to rest."

Tears streamed from Axew's eyes. Kid sighed pityingly. He gently stroked the dragon pokemon's head. "Hey... you both are gonna be okay. You're a long way from home, but you're safe here."

"aaxxxx..." Axew's eyes slowly fluttered closed again.

Kid sighed as the pokemon went back to sleep. The sight of the injured baby dragon pokemon had awakened almost a maternal instinct in his mind. Too many instincts involving either sex or wanting to nurture or love someone had been surfacing lately. "its not unusual to want to protect and take care of cute things. Girls do it all the time."

Suddenly a glow caught his eye. Dawn's body was glowing a brilliant pink color. "Is this the divine light?" Kid asked, activating his ability to see souls.

Dawn's soul was changing, glowing brilliant pink and morphing. "No WAAAAAY." Kid exclaimed as three incomplete lines appeared on Dawn's soul. Her hair changed from blue to black, and three pale pink lines of sanzu appeared on her hair.

Dawn's eyes opened, the blue orbs paling in color as the irises rearranged themselves into rings. The look was vacent. "I have... awakened..." Her voice was distant, as if she were in a trance.

Dawn walked slowly over to Iris and stroked her cheek. "Awaken unto the power of the World Tree, oh Child of Dragons..."

Iris' body glowed. Kid activated soul perception again, Iris' soul changed color, shining with a bright green and gold light. A rune depicting two dragons appeared on it.

Stein bolted into the room, Maka behind him. "DAWN!" Maka called out.

Dawn fell over, the pink glow cutting out abruptly. Maka caught the girl. "Dawn! Please say something."

"What happened? I feel better."

Stein checked over Iris. "Her wounds are regenerating."

"A regeneration witch?" Kid asked.

"No, this is something else. A regeneration witch still has a purple soul, her's is green and gold. Don't forget, Witches aren't the only magic users nor are immortals. There are shamen, druids, monks and miko, medicine men, there are tons of things she could have awakened as."

"What's going on?" Dawn sat up. "I was dreaming about Mesprit. She was telling me a story... then she said its time to awaken and I was here... on the floor..." Dawn was rather dazed, but she sat up. "Why do I suddenly feel better than ever before? All my wounds are gone, not even a bruise..."

Kid suddenly pitied Dawn. He could feel it, her soul had somehow transformed into a shinigami. He ran a hand over his own skin, cool to the touch, his natural body temperature was about ten degrees lower than a human's.

Maka moved to try to pull away from Dawn. "Then maybe we should go see Mamoswine, the poor thing's been really upset that he can't get into the building to see you."

Dawn blinked, suddenly grabbing Maka and pulling her close into a hug. Then she put a hand to Maka's forehead. "you feel like you're burning up."

"And you feel ice cold. C'mon, lets go..."

"I don't feel cold." Kid caught Maka's eyes, and shook his head slowly. 'go with it' he mouthed.

Maka tried to get up, but Dawn clung to her, her voice taking on a panicked note now. "Maka, what's WRONG with me?"

Maka sighed and held onto Dawn. "Come here." she guided Dawn to a mirror. Dawn's jaw dropped, and she staggered backward into Maka like the mirror had shocked her. "My eyes... my hair!"

Kid spoke up at last. "Whatever that pink light was, you changed into a shinigami, like me..."

Dawn whirled, staring in alarm at Kid. She darted behind Maka, clinging to her like she was some kind of security teddy bear. "A whaaaat?"

"A grim reaper, a god of death, a shinigami, there's a lot of names for us. I just thought father and I were the only ones."

Dawn shrieked, "GET AWAY FROM ME!" She clung to Maka. Kid felt like dirt. Dawn buried her face in Maka's chest and cried. Maka's body felt as hot as flames to her. Even though Maka wasn't sick. Tears filled Maka's eyes as she tried to comfort the other girl. "Kid, please go tell your father what's happened here."

"no need..." Lord Death stood in the doorway. "I felt it all the way up in the Death room."

"What's going on? Father how could Dawn just transform..."

"She's from one of the Elder Lines."

"Elder lines?"

"There were originally four clans of Shinigami. But a long time ago three of them disappeared. They were called 'The Elder Lines.'" Shinigami-sama sighed. "Dawn appears to be one of them. If they interbred long enough with the human population, the Elder Lines would have been indistinguishable from humans. Much like a new witch bloodline that simply awakens with the right stimulus. In this case, Dawn was born a human, but her power awakened as a shinigami. It was likely Mesprit's doing. It could even be why it Blessed her."

"Mesprit 'blessed' me as you put it because I grew up near Lake Verity!" Dawn hissed angrily. "Look at me, I'm a FREAK. There's no way Mesprit would have done this to me."

"Done what?" Shinigami-sama asked. "all I see is a healthy young woman who is far from home and scared of the unknown. I see nothing abnormal or freakish."

Dawn sobbed into Maka's shoulder.

"You were born like this Dawn. It just remained hidden." Shinigami-sama said quietly. "This is YOU. Its just a you that you haven't seen before. Please just give us a chance?"

Dawn clung to Maka, but she nodded slowly.

Kid turned and stalked out of the room. "Kid..."

"I'm hungry, I'll see you at lunch." Kid said coldly.

Dawn snuggled against Maka. "I can feel your life force. Its so comforting..." Dawn said quietly.

Maka held Dawn tightly, a face flashing through her mind, of silver eyes, pink hair, pale skin and a slender, needy body begging her for comfort from the night terrors. Chrona was gone. Maka missed the strange pinkette deeply. "I won't let anything happen to you Dawn. I promise." _'I'm so sorry Chrona, I couldn't protect you from Medusa. But I will /not/ let Dawn go the way you did. I swear it on my SOUL.'_ "Its my lunch hour, do you think you can handle coming to lunch with me?"

"s... sure..." Dawn's stomach growled. "piplup? Where..."

"PIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIP!" Piplup came running in, alerted by the feel of Dawn's energy. "lup? Pip pip luuuuuup!"

"C'mon Piplup." Dawn held out an arm for Piplup.

"luuuuup." Piplup jumped onto Dawn's shoulder, looking about to cry. Dawn clung to Maka with one arm, and Piplup with the other. The penguin pokemon snuggled into Dawn's chest, crooning piteously.

When Dawn entered the lunch room with Maka, she reeled backwards. She could hear sounds, ringing sounds, not unpleasant. In fact they felt like bells, coming off of each person. "maka, my ears are ringing!" Dawn whimpered, throwing her hands up to put her fingers in her ears. "lup?" "And putting my fingers in my ears doesn't help!"

"its called a soul wavelength." Maka said quietly. "Every soul has a frequency, you aren't hearing it with your ears, you're perceiving it with your own soul. Thats why its not helping." She paused. "I got an idea! Why don't you try to find Piplup's soul wavelength."

Dawn blinked. "I can find one out of all of this?"

"Sure! You're a shinigami now, you're a protector of souls, you should be able to distinguish one from the others in a crowd quite easily. You can even see souls with a little bit of practice."

"See souls?"

"yep, its called Soul Perception." Maka explained. "Not all humans have it, but I do, so does Professor Stein and Ox. But all shinigami can see souls. It just takes practice! Go on, Piplup is your best partner right? So you should be able to find his wavelength no problem."

"kay, no need to worry right?" Dawn asked nervously. She picked up Piplup, pressing her forehead to the penguin pokemon's. Dawn closed her eyes, and then she felt it, water, running water, crumbling glaciers, bubbling springs of running melt water. "I hear water, I feel water, crystal streams, the crunch of glaciers, crystal springs running from them..."

"luuuup." Piplup tenderly rubbed his forehead to Dawn's. "pip..."

Dawn slowly pulled back her senses to hear Maka calling her name. "Dawn?"

"No need to worry. That was amazing..." Dawn blushed. "pip! Lup lup lup lup!" Piplup chattered happily, waving his tiny flippers at Maka and blushing.

Dawn followed Maka into line. Maka bought them both lunch. Dawn chuckled, giving Piplup her apple. The tiny penguin pokemon squealed in delight and started eating. "I'm gonna have to make some pokemon food later."

They sat down with Maka's friends. "hmmm... a new Shinigami?" Ox's head turned.

"Sort of." Maka sighed. "Shinigami-sama said she's from a clan called the Elder Lines. Their DNA was diluted enough that the power emerges suddenly like a witch's does. So Dawn here was born and raised human."

"Aaaaah, must be disorienting."

"You have no idea." Dawn deadpanned. "People's soul wavelengths are deafening. I can barely hear myself think." Dawn seemed to be wilting by the moment.

"I know I shouldn't have brought her out Ox, but I was really worried." Maka sighed. "I thought meeting the rest of Spartoi would do her good."

"no need to worry!" Dawn chimed brightly. It was more of a reflex. "I have piplup with me."

"That reminds me, we need to find you a weapon." Maka sighed.

"A weapon?" Dawn questioned.

"Technically Shinigami don't have to train weapons." Kid replied. "I just chose to because I wanted a symmetrical death scythe. I can't do that with the current group. Thats /why/ I have the Thompsons."

"I have no idea what you're talking about!" Dawn whined.

"Like this!" Tsubaki chuckled, transforming into a Kusari gama. Dawn peered over the table, then got up and gave the kusari gama a poke. Then she jumped as Tsubaki's face appeared on it. "see? I'm a human, but I can transform into a weapon. DWMA, where you are, is a school for weapons and the meisters who train them. Each pair's goal is to collect 99 kisshins souls and one Witch's soul to feed to the weapon. When that happens the weapon becomes a Death Scythe."

"So weapons eat those monsters souls?" Dawn asked, head tilting cutely.

"Thats right." Kid sighed. "Shinigami are the guardians of the cycle of life and death. Yes, we have to watch people die and hear the cries of the dead. But we /also/ protect the living, and watch over the process of reincarnation. And thats a part of the job that I like."

"Y... yo... you mean like babies?" Dawn blushed furiously.

"The process of souls being reborn as babies yes." Kid replied. He blushed faintly. Babies, Kid was reminded once again he'd eventually have to leave an heir. Something uncomfortable flustered in the pit of his stomach.

Dawn blushed, staring down into her lunch tray. Maka chuckled. "Awww, thats so cute. You're blushing."

Dawn shyly snuggled closer to Maka on the lunch table bench. "its okay Dawn, you're among friends." Shy Dawn reminded Maka so /strongly/ of Chrona, that it renewed her longing to find and save Chrona from his /BITCH/ of a mother. Maka clenched her fist in rage, then forced herself to unclench her fist. She WOULD save Chrona. She had to.

* * *

Tiamat traveled night and day over the Unova landscape until she came to the ocean past Driftveil city. She'd seconded Elesa and Clay to come with her, along with a /host/ of wild pokemon that had followed her and her Hydreigon. Many of them were Unova's local dragon types. But there were several Klink and Golett, and even a pair of grizzled Zoroark, who's species were ancient enough to still remember the Deities that once walked with man. Elesa had undergone a clothing change, a tall pointed witch's hat done up in Zebstrika patterns with a Zebstrika tail sort of design on the side of it and a pointed brim that came neatly to a triangle shape in front of her, and a traveling cloak patterned after her Zebstrika. Her emolga had also donned a pointed hat identical to the one she wore.

"This is the place Master Tiamat?" Elesa asked.

"Yes, I'm sorry Elesa, you're too young to know about the other world. But your magic is strong and I am /old./" Tiamat sighed. "We must go."

Clay sighed, "where we gonna travel? You're fergettin the nearest ports are back in driftveil and north in Mistleron."

"No need." The elder raised her staff and crooned. It sounded like a Lapras' cry. "oh Guardians of the Souls Lost to the Sea, hear my prayer. Take me across the sea to the land of time and space, and the Blood of my Soul." The elder crashed her staff on a nearby rock three times.

"Laaaaapraaasss!" A group of lapras and gyrados appeared from the bottom. "Gyraaaa."

"please Lapras, Gyrados, we need to get to Sinnoh. Can you carry all of us?"

"Gyra..." "Laaaaap." One by one the lapras and gyrados climbed onto the shore, loading the pokemon, and last of all Tiamat, Elesa and Clay. "Thank you, Clay, Elesa."

"Much obliged." Clay pulled his cowboy hat down over his eyes and started chewing on a licorice root. "I needed to get out of the gym anyway."

* * *

"Here it is..." Cuatemoc knelt by the portal. "This is what Montezuma was looking for, a gateway to a world of powerful souls that have not yet learned to fight.

"brother." One of the scouts told Cuatemoc. "What should we tell our allies?"

"Summon the other Kisshin, we march in two days."

He didn't notice Sid hiding in a secret compartment under the shrine with Azusa, listening to /every/ word. Shinigami-sama had told him to watch the shrine, and he was right.


	3. Chapter 3

"you want me to go through the portal?" Kid asked.

"yes, you'll be able to get back through as long as the madness you contracted from Noah and Toc hasn't become active. If you have an active madness infection, even if your thoughts are still working, the portal will block you. You have to warn them that a bunch of Kisshins are about to come through. We have Sid and Azusa camped out under the shrine for backup, but we have to keep our movements covert or they'll just run off into the desert again. The casualty rate for the Chupacabra gang is estimated in the thousands and it will /just/ get worse if we don't take them all out /now./" Shinigami-sama growled. "Kid, I'm counting on your sense of diplomacy. I've contacted Iris' clan leader. She should be coming with reinforcements."

Kid nodded. "I'll do my best father." He'd have to use Beelzebub, but he should be able to get there by nightfall.

"One more thing. There's a tribe of ghost pokemon that guards the shrine. They will recognize you as a grim reaper by the lines of sanzu. However, you may have to earn their respect to get them to follow you. You did not, after all, raise or train them. I did. They call themselves the Soul Walkers. I have given them the authority to act as that world's shinigami. If you tell them the Kisshins are going to come through the portal, they will move into action immediately, with or without you depends on you earning their respect."

Kid nodded. "I'll do my best."

"The Leaders are Matthias, Mathilda, Willow, and Nightstalker." Kid nodded and turned to go.

* * *

Iris woke up in someone's infirmary somewhere, feeling completely recovered. "okay, something is wrong here. I was beaten to hell and now I feel perfectly... AXEW!" Iris jumped up.

"My you're perceptive." Stein turned from his chair, an unlit cigarette dangling from his mouth. "Your Axew swallowed a kisshin's egg soul. It poisoned him temporarily but he'll be alright in a few days."

Excadrill and Emolga had flopped on the medical bed Dawn had been in, sleeping soundly.

"Where am I?"

"Death Weapon Meister Academy in Death City. I've been keeping watch on you while you slept. Dawn's already up and about though I'd say mentally she's pretty vulnerable right now."

"Where is she?"

"eeeh, she said something about showing Maka and Soul how to make Poffins. School's been out for about an hour now."

"So this is a school?" Iris walked over to the window and looked out over the city. "Oh woooooooowww! Emolga! Excadrill come see this!"

Emolga and Excadrill floated to the window. "Our boss says you came here from another world."

Iris stared up at the laughing sun. "Really? so... wait how do we get home?"

"The portal, the problem is that a gang of monsters called Kisshins is currently attempting to occupy it. Its too dangerous to go through now."

Iris nodded. "Who are they?"

"Kisshins? Well they were once humans, but they killed humans and consumed their souls. The act of doing so turned them into monsters."

Iris shuddered. "I'm from a place where 'monster' typically means a friendly forest creature. Not a man eating..."

"... soul eating." Stein corrected.

"Formerly human creature." Iris sighed, walking over to Axew and stroking his head.

"There's something else you need to know. Your soul morphed while you were asleep. Yours and Dawn's both."

"is she okay?" Iris asked worriedly. "I saw the sun, I was worried about how she'd do. I know its crazy, but I thought that if the sun had a face we were either dead or in some crazy alternate universe." Iris seemed completely unfazed by Stein saying her soul had morphed while she was sleeping.

Stein smiled a small, knowing smile. He'd been right, Dawn was the shyer of the two. Iris was having no trouble at all adapting to her surroundings. She was resilient, and resourceful. "Dawn is barely hanging on, but I put her with one of my students, and she should improve greatly with her around. Though she had it far worse than you."

"How come?"

"Dawn transformed into a Shinigami, a God of Death. Shinigami are guardians of the cycle of rebirth. So Dawn found herself tuned to the souls of the people around her. She's having trouble figuring out how to block them out. Add in that her body has changed, lower normal body temperature, high resistance to poisons, pain and injury, increased strength and endurance, and she's not doing so well."

Iris nodded. "is there someplace I can train? Or someone I can train with? Excadrill, Emolga and I need to get stronger so we can beat the kisshins at the portal!"

"Iiiiii think I can find someone." Stein chuckled. He moved to a nearby mirror and entered a number. "Hey Blackstar. Iris is up and awake, you up for some training?"

"I am the man who will surpass GOD!" Blackstar tossed aside his game controller and gulped down the cookie he'd been munching. "I am ALWAYS up for some training!"

"Great, meet Iris at the practice park and be ready for some training." Stein turned to Iris. "i'm going to give you a special lesson, since Shinigami-sama wants me to keep an eye on you and Dawn. Somewhere in the castle is a park, trees, grass, a little slice of green in the Nevada Desert. Find it instinctively."

_Iris is a nature Shamen, she should be able to find it instinctively._ _She should be able to hone in on it._ Stein thought. He turned on his soul perception and used it to follow Iris as she moved through the school.

Iris closed her eyes. _/Just like Lady Tiamat taught me. Find the green, feel it in my heart./_ Then she took off with Excadrill and Emolga, running through the empty halls. "Ha! I found it!" Iris exclaimed as she found the park. "Thats odd, that Blackstar person should be here shouldn't he? Maybe he's..."

"Assasin's rule number one, blend into the darkness and erase your breath." Blackstar's voice echoed through the park as he shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Please let this not be like Team Rocket's motto." Iris sweat dropped.

"Assasin's rule number two, transpositional thinking..." Blackstar had learned how to throw his voice, and he was using this to hide in one of the trees above Iris' head. "... know your target."

Iris realized she could tell where Blackstar was standing, and smirked as suddenly, when Blackstar got to assasin's rule number three, she came up behind him. "Hiiiiiiiiii." Iris said cheerfully. "Remember me? The girl you're supposed to be training? You're late!"

"I am not, I was waiting for you up here the whole time."

"Whatever, Excadrill, Emolga and I have training to do. Come down and join us instead of breaking Assasin's rule number one simply by saying /anything./"

"um..." Iris glared at Blackstar as he flushed furiously.

Iris put her hands on her hips in a no nonsense way. "Assassin's rule number FOUR, the instant you speak, you give yourself away. A good assassin denies they are an assassin. Therefore by stating you are an assassin, you are NOT an assassin." Iris snickered, poking Blackstar on the nose before she jumped down. "C'mon Excadrill! I want you to throw focus blasts, iron claws and drill runs at random for me and emolga to dodge or deflect! Ready emolga?"

"Emo emo!"

Iris turned to Blackstar. "you gonna join in or just stand there with your mouth open." Blackstar's jaw dropped.

"Uuuuuh, SURE! Hey Tsubaki, looks like we're gonna get a work out!"

"excaaaaaaaaaaa DRIIIIIIILLL!" Excadrill started with a drill run.

"Excadrill, remember when we first fought? You did drill run and I did THIS!" Iris kicked Excadrill up in the air and he came back down with metal claw attack. "woooot!" Iris grinned as she rolled out of the way, clearly happy to be moving around.

Blackstar was a joy to practice with. Iris wasn't very strong, but she had a lot of staying power and a lot of energy. Blackstar meanwhile, was /enjoying/ having someone with just as much energy as him to practice with. So what if Iris didn't have the brawn to do much damage. She was fast, she was spry, and she was DETERMINED.

By the end of it Blackstar, Tsubaki and Iris were flopped on the ground laughing and breathless with Excadrill and Emolga. "That was amazing Excadrill!" Iris hugged Excadrill tightly. "Oooooooh, I feel so much better now that I've gotten out and about. I can never think indoors the way I can in the forest." Iris beamed at Blackstar. "thank you. I'm sure Excadrill and Emolga are happy to have worked off the stress."

"emo." Emolga had planted herself in Tsubaki's lap. "emoooolga, emo emo..." The flying squirrel was curled up snug as a bug being petted.

Iris chuckled. "Emolga sure took to you." Iris told Tsubaki.

"Ah well..." Tsubaki chuckled. "A lot of people sure take to me."

"Tsubaki's really kind hearted and loyal." Blackstar praised. "She's the only weapon I ever want as a partner."

"Thats so weird though, I've never heard of people transforming into weapons. I've heard of some weird stuff too, like the ghosts of lavender tower and pads that teleport you from place to place when you step on them but... people turning into weapons is a new one."

"So... is it true what Shinigami-sama says, that you're a Nature Shaman?"

"huh wha huh now? I've never heard of that. In my village "nature shaman" was a title for someone who specialized in herbal medicine."

"Herbal medicine?"

"uhuh. I'm really good with herbs. I make all the medicines for my friends pokemon."

"What are your friends like?"

"Well, there's Ash, he's /such/ a kid even though he's eighteen. And Cilan is... well he's eccentric." Iris chuckled. "He's a pokemon conisseur, but he knows so much about so many different things. And when you get into a topic he's crazy about, he goes on and on so booorrriingly. He doesn't believe me when I say I can sense rain coming. And he doesn't believe in ghosts and spirits. Oh I'm sure you could convince him Souls exist. After all, I'll bet pokemon battles wouldn't exist if people and pokemon didn't have souls. And almost any gym leader you ask about the existance of them would say something about the bond between people and pokemon being proof that they exist!"

Blackstar nodded. "Oh souls exist. Weapons and Meisters have to collect the souls of Kisshins, the demons that you fought? They're Kisshins. They form when humans eat the souls of other humans."

"Really? So if we fight some of these Kisshins I might be able to see what a soul looks like?" Iris asked.

Blackstar rolled his eyes. "only if you have soul perception. People who have that? They can see the souls of their opponents."

"Wow." Iris looked up at the sky, at the setting sun that seemed to be getting sleepy. "Thats so amazing... so what's a nature shaman mean here anyway?"

"um... it means someone who's got an unusual magical empathy with nature." Blackstar explained. "Nature Shamans and witches both use magic. But Nature Shamans are allowed under Shibusen's rules. Witches well... we hunt them."

"Whyever for?"

"With very few exceptions, Witches are evil. There are two that are under our protection and some in our prison but for the most part they do bad things."

"What's the exception?"

"young witches that haven't gone through puberty. And regenerative witches. For example, you regenerated after you were injured. Azusa-sensei thought you were a regenerative witch until Shinigami-sama pointed out your soul was the wrong color for a witch."

"So thats how you tell witches?"

"yep, witches have purple souls. Nature shamans have nature colored souls."

"You mean like green or brown or blue?"

"Yeah." Blackstar sighed. "I can't see them, but Maka and Ox have described Soul colors for me."

"Hey Blackstar?"

"Hmm?"

"I think the reason why people eat souls is because they don't have pokemon to help them be happy." Iris said sleepily. She looked about to doze off.

Blackstar blinked. It seemed such a silly statement. Yet the fun he'd had with Iris' pokemon made him think that maybe there was something to it. Then he laughed. "Hey Iris, if you're getting tired we should get you some dinner. Why don't you stay with me and Tsubaki tonight?"

"Uh sure. Let me tell Professor Stein I'm going with you." Iris got up, calling Emolga and Excadrill back.

* * *

"aaaaaaaand, that is how you make a poffin." Dawn said proudly as she tipped the tray of poffins over onto the cooling rack. "Whatcha think?" Dawn asked Maka and Soul proudly.

Maka and Soul each took a poffin. "Mmmmm, apple and banana! But its so... so..."

"Its perfectly uniform. Almost like a muffin." Soul chewed the whole thing up like a kisshin's egg and swallowed noisily. "Delicious!"

"uhuh." Dawn beamed. "My mom taught me how to make them. But I had to tailor my recipe for my pokemon. Even though I don't know all the fruits you have on your world, I can taste them and figure out what ones my pokemon would like. For example insect pokemon tend to like sweet foods, so bananas and honey would be good for them, but they probably wouldn't like an apple because apples are tart. Likewise water and ice pokemon tend to prefer dry foods a little more than other types. So I know to feed piplup something that tastes dry. Of course, pokemon prefer fresh fruits and vegetables as much as they can."

"No meat?" Maka head tilted.

"Nope, in all the time i've been training pokemon, I've never seen one eat meat. Oh sure, if there's a predator/prey thing going on I've seen them stare at a prey-ish pokemon and drool but pokemon are sentient. They don't like to eat each other because the thing they're eating is a sentient being. Even if there's differences in body type, they're technically all one people."

"I suppose if I were a pokemon I'd consider eating another pokemon cannibalism." Maka hmmmed. "They're really yummy, lets see how the pokemon like them." She handed one to each of Dawn's pokemon.

Quilava didn't like it. But Piplup, Buneary and Pachirisu did. Togekiss spat out the poffin, then hopped up onto the table and simply started eating the fruits and vegetables out of the bowl.

Dawn blushed. "eeeh, looks like Togekiss isn't having any of it. She was raised by a princess, so I'm not surprised when she acts picky about her food." Dawn divided the poffins up into a plate for her pokemon, a bag for Iris' pokemon, and a bag for later. Then she put some of the fruit left on a plate along with some of the poffins for /now/ and turned to Soul. "Soul can you give these to Mamoswine?"

"Sure." he took the plate down and found Mamoswine outside the apartment, turned to stare in roughly the direction of the portal. Only... it was a little to the right, staring at a butte beyond the city. "Hey Mamoswine, I have some food for you."

"Maaaamooooo..." Mamoswine turned down to look at the plate, then look up, and around. "Mamoswine..." He bristled and growled, moving in a stance that Soul instantly recognized as a defensive one.

He heard a soft "che che" noise. "Mamoswine are you okay?"

"Mamoooooo..." Mamoswine began to cross the alley where he found a trio of mice on the ground.

The three Mizunes weren't recognizable to Soul as anything threatening, after all it was impossible for a human to see through the transformation. Mamoswine was a pokemon, who could tell something wasn't right about the three rodents in front of him. "Its just a bunch of mice Mamoswine. Dawn worked hard to make this for you so that you wouldn't go hungry."

"Mamoooo..." Mamoswine shoved Soul back with his shoulder and then powered up an ice shard attack.

"HEY!" Soul yelled, barely keeping the plate from tipping over.

"SWIINEEE!" Mamoswine swallowed an ice shard, sprouting spines of ice from his back. "Mamoswine!" he raised his foot to try and stomp the shape shifted Mizunes to death or drive them away.

"Che che che!" The mice scuttled up onto the nearest dumpster, they wriggled their whiskers and teased the mammoth pokemon with a cheeky. "Che che che che che..." And then they were gone, diving into a mouse hole in the wall of the building.

"What the hell was that for?" Soul demanded, angrily rubbing his sore butt. "I came out here to feed you."

"Mamoooo." Mamoswine carefully pulled Soul back towards the building and nuzzled him in apology. Then it turned its attention to the plate of food. Soul chuckled, peeling a banana from the top of the pile and offering it to the pokemon.

A large, wuffling nose descended onto his hand, snorting frigid moisture laden air onto his skin. A large slimy mammoth mouth descended on his hand, the edges of his teeth scraping Soul's skin as the pokemon took the offered fruit. "cooooooooooooool..." Soul breathed.

"Mamooooooooo!"

"You're the coolest non human I've ever met Mamoswine!" Soul grinned stupidly, stroking the massive head.

"Mamo mamoswine mamo!"

"But seriously, scaring mice?"

"Mamooooo." The pokemon's demeanor changed from happy to serious in an instant. "Mamoswine, mamo, mamoswine? Mamo mamo."

"Wish I could understand you."

"Mamoswiiiinneee." Mamoswine sniffed the plate of fruit and poffin.

Soul laughed, holding out another poffin. Mamoswine wuffled his hand and sucked it right up into his mouth.

Dawn looked out the window, watching Soul feed the pokemon. "Mamoswine seems to really like Soul."

"Yeah, and I've never seen him take that much interest in an animal. By the way, calling Mamoswine 'the coolest non human i've ever met' is an enormous compliment."

The Mizunes watched Soul feeding Mamoswine from the shadows, transmitting the image back to Medusa. Mamoswine kept looking back in their direction and growling, planting himself squarely between the Mizune witches and Soul and acting /extremely/ protective of the scythe.

Medusa was fascinated, the mammoth clearly knew that they were there. But a witch should be safely concealed when in animal form. So what was this creature? A familiar? Did they have a witch as an ally besides Kim?

* * *

"Password?"

"Blessed be." Tiamat replied. Behind her Fantina, Elesa, Clay, and Flannery. Elesa was wearing Zebstrika themed witch's garbe from head to toe. Flannery was wearing flame patterned witch's garb, and Fantina's garb was themed around Mismagius. Their hats were pulled low, and Clay felt out of place with this many magic users. But he had a certain amount of loyalty to Elesa.

Gardenia opened the door to her home. "Madam Tiamat." She bowed politely.

"Get your Garb, we have a rescue mission preparing to ride." Tiamat said as Gardenia stared at the hundreds of pokemon that were standing in the streets, including several legendaries. "One of my Kin has been pulled into the rift. Lord Eibon is long dead, and demons plan to take his tomb."

"I'll get my go bag." Gardenia hurried inside, calling her pokemon to her. She came out a few moments later dressed in a rich green Garb with roserade colored ruffles around the wrists a pointed brim pulled low, and a gracedia flower in the hat band.

"We aren't far from the place now." Tiamat growled. "Let us go retrieve my many times grand daughter." She turned to the psychic pokemon that had gathered. "Thank you so much for getting us here so fast. You may turn back if you wish."

Some of them simply disappeared, but most of them remained. "Let us go." And suddenly the thousands of pokemon that had gathered, and the gathered gym leaders, disappeared.

* * *

Sid smuggled Kid to and through the rift. Kid then moved slowly through the shrine in the other world with Liz and Patti.

"I HAVE TO GO GET HER! GARY LET ME GO!" Kid hid, and he watched a black haired teen and a brown haired twenty something pass them. "The inscription says that world is ruled by a God of Fear and a God of Death! I'm not letting Dawn and Iris FACE that alone! I was responsible for them! I promised Johanna I wouldn't let anything happen to DAWN!"

"WHAT GOOD are you going to do? Let grampa handle it!"

"Okido-hakase is just that! A professor! What's he gonna do, lecture them to death?"

"My grandfather is far better suited to combat than YOU."

"ASH!" A brown haired girl with a red and green bandana called out. "You are not going through there without the rest of us. If we're going to a whole other world, then we're going TOGETHER." She yelled.

Suddenly Kid felt himself pulled backwards and a diver's knife held to his throat. "You know sneaking up on people is rude right?" A girl's voice asked.

"Marill! Mar!" Misty smirked. "Never try to evade a Marill, their sense of hearing can hear a cockroach piss in total darkness." A large, mouse like pokemon, blue all over with some kind of bulb on his tail giggled at Kid. The girl removed the knife before Liz and Patti could act and pushed Kid into the middle of the circle of pokemon trainers. "Look who I found skulking around." Kid got a better look at her now, a tall woman in her late teens or early twenties with shoulder length red hair pulled all to one side.

"Misty... did you... USE that diver's knife?"

"Only as a threat, its more of a tool than anything else. I'd never dream of hurting someone with it." Misty blushed.

"Who are you? And why were you spying on us?"

"My name is Death the Kid, me and my pistols Liz and Patti came through the Rift on instruction from my Father, Lord Death..."

Ash /stared./ Pikachu squealed. "Pikachu! Pika pika!" Pikachu jumped from Ash's shoulder and ran over to Kid, rubbing a sparking cheek to Kid's leg.

"Marill mar!" The Marill latched onto Kid's right leg and Pikachu onto his left. "Piiiiiiiiiika, pika pika."

"Marill, Pikachu behave yourse..."

"HOW CUTE!" Patti changed back into a person, causing all those gathered to stare at her. She scooped up Pikachu and hugged him, stroking the pokemon's head and scratching him behind the ears.

"Piiiika?" Pikachu blinked.

"As I was ABOUT to say before Patti interrupted me." Kid said as Liz changed back into a person as well. "my father sent me to assure you that Dawn and Iris are being taken care of. Last I checked Dawn was spending the night at one of my classmates homes and Iris was practicing with another of my classmates. They are safe, but there's something else you need to know."

It took about 2 hours for Kid to get through a complete explanation of what was going on. "In two days a group of DEMONS are going to come through that portal and kill everything they can find. You should move your camp so that its not in their line of fire and prepare to fight." Kid concluded. "Surely your world has some kind of military?"

"um... we have the pokemon rangers..." Ash suggested dumbly. "... and the officer jennies, we've never really needed a military."

Kid fell over. "WHAT? What about Shinigami to protect your world's souls?"

"Our scientists can't even produce proof that Souls exist." Cilan pointed out. "How did yours do it by the way?"

"We haven't /had/ to. We've had people who could see souls since time immemorial!" Kid was very close to hyperventilating. He fell on the ground like he did when his neurosis got out of control and beat it with his fists. "Thats it, we're doomed, we're all gonna die. They don't even have a military to protect themselves. OOOOOOOOOOOOH father father father, how could you set me an impossible task?"

"Not impossible." Ash beamed. He closed his eyes and concentrated.** /Azelf?/** ash reached out with his mind for a connection he'd felt upon his arrival in Sinnoh for the reunion.

"Azelf!" Ash opened his eyes and Azelf was there.

"Hey Azelf, there's a buncha demons on their way here through a rift in space, can you get the other legendary pokemon to help us fight them off? Maybe some willing wild pokemon too?"

"Azelf azzzzelf!" Azelf disappeared.

"That was AMAZING! How did you make it appear like that?"

"ah well." Ash blushed. "I have a special understanding with Azelf." Ash said with a huge grin. "But it doesn't always work for some reason."

"Azelf... that is the being of will power yes?" Kid blinked. He activated soul perception, and quickly realized that Ash and the man named Brock both had souls glowing blue and yellow respectively. He blinked.

"Sure is! I saw him at Lake Valor just before the Wallace Cup! Dawn and Brock both saw Mesprit and Uxie!" Ash grinned hugely.

"There's something else... Dawn, when she was in the infirmary she started to glow pink, and then she transformed into a Shinigami." Kid said quietly. "she said she was dreaming about Mesprit when it happened."

"That could be trouble." Professor Rowan was sitting on a log drinking tea. "There's a lot about the world and pokemon we don't understand, but I believe that a scientist should be concerned /most/ with what we can't explain. Historically Mesprit, Azelf and Uxie have collectively represented the souls of human kind, each one represents a facet of the Soul. Emotion, will, and wisdom. These three disciplines of the mind are /key/ to having a balanced mind and spirit."

Professor Oak sipped his tea. "I agree, the involvement of Ash, Dawn and Brock with Azelf, Mesprit and Uxie is not over. Nor was it just Team Galactic that concerned those three. Perhaps it would behoove us to speak to this Lord Death to see what he knows about the Three Beings."

"Now you're getting it!" A voice came out of the darkness. A familiar figure came out of the darkness, followed by a familiar Zebstrika.

"ELESA!" Ash cried in shock.

"We have an alternate campsite set up. Reinforcements too." She turned to Kid. "you, boy, Shinigami sent you yes? Go back and tell him Tiamat has summoned reinforcements."

"i'm not going to listen to a witch." Kid said coldly.

Elesa was wearing a Zebstrika patterned witch's garb, a long skirt, half sleeved tunic, and leather vest all patterned after her favorite pokemon.

"If you aren't going to listen to a witch, then listen to a Gym leader." Tiamat stepped forwards, wearing Hydreigon patterned garb. "We aren't like the witches on your world. We remember what our kin are like. A new generation has taken root in this world, and we are not going to stand for what our ancestors on your world did. Your /father/ walked by my side when my body was young and HE was a CHILD. I sit, and I remember. Listen WELL Kid."

"Your world is a quarantine zone. Thats why the sun laughs, its a fake. The One, Arceus, and the other Legendary Pokemon created your world as a SEAL zone for the Madness. This is what your father, Eibon and Asura discovered here, that their ANCESTORS came from this world. They imbued their power into Mesprit, Uxie and Azelf. Their purpose is to preserve the spiritual abilities of this world and the sanctity of the souls within it."

"Are you saying..." Ash's hands clenched his cup in a white knuckle grip, "That Brock and I are going to transform just like Dawn did?"

"Yes Ash." Tiamat said grimly.

Elesa sighed. "I recognized it in you from the moment I saw you. A clock ticking towards a powerful spiritual awakening and a Soul blessed by the light of the divine.

"I CANT ACCEPT THAT!" Ash yelled.

"What part, that at some point you are going to change or the part about Azelf having an alterior motive?" Tiamat asked with a quirk of her brow.

"Everyone who is BORN a human has the RIGHT to be human! They should be able to choose whether or not to hand that humanity OVER!" Ash roared. He glared at Kid. "This is all YOUR fault. You SUCK." He slammed his cup down on the ground, spilling the tea all over and stormed away.

"ASH WAIT!" Gary ran after Ash.

Kid sipped his tea unconcerned. "you don't seem to care." Misty said acidly.

"Because frankly I agree with him. When Dawn changed, her reaction to meeting me, I felt like dirt." Kid said quietly. "I exist to guard the Souls of Humans. I don't think its a calling that you can be forced into. I think its a calling you take voluntarily. Why should I raise protest with an opinion I agree with? Every Kisshin soul we are going up against chose to leave the human path. Frankly, if I found someone forcing humans from the Path, I'd kill them myself, slowly, painfully, and brutally." Kid said cooly. "How is it right that Ash, Dawn and Brock get forced to become Shinigami? If we caught someone injecting human souls into people with the intent of making a Kisshin, Shibusen would most certainly execute them."

"Except that they were /born/ with Shinigami Lineage in them." Tiamat said quietly. "Do you really think this is a matter of a human becoming a shinigami simply on the whim of Mesprit, Azelf and Uxie? It is Ash's birthright, Brock's and Dawn's too. Across this world, there could be as many as 300 shinigami, maybe more, who's gifts are hidden. Their human genes /repressed/ the Shinigami ones."

"Whatever, I still feel uncomfortable." Kid looked up at Brock. "What's your point of view on this?"

"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference." Brock quoted. "My mother told me that before she died. Its a principle i've followed my life long. All the things I've changed, its because I had the wisdom to know that I could. This isn't the end. I think its the beginning." Brock said quietly.

Kid nodded, he stood. "Where are you going?" Lenora asked.

"to make sure Ash is alright." Kid replied.

Kid followed Ash's wavelength until he came to a forest thicket. He was about to say something in greeting when he heard a moan. Kid ducked into the bushes and crept closer, and his nose gushed blood. His eyes widened. His face flushed.

Gary had Ash pinned against a tree, both of them sans boxers and pants, kissing each other furiously. Ash had tears rolling down his cheeks. "Its going to be okay Ash. I love you no matter what happens." Gary said in a low, lusty voice.

There was a thud as the both of them fell to the forest floor. "I want you... please... fill me... comfort me."

"CHU!" Pikachu's iron tail came down on Kid's head. Kid yelped, Pikachu and Umbreon grabbed him by the shoulders of his jacket and pulled him away.

Too late though, a small tent was sticking up out of Kid's pants. Pikachu glared at him. "Pika pika..."

"Look, I just came to apologize."

"Pika chuuuuuuuuu." Pikachu shocked Kid with a thundershock.

"OW! What was that for!"

"Pikachu, Pika pika."

"Pikachu is trying to say that its not your fault." Misty said coldly. "He and Umbreon stand guard to make sure Ash and Gary disturbed." She sighed. "How is it YOUR fault? This was gonna happen whether you came here or not."

"I just... I know its not, but I feel like it is." Kid replied. "The way Dawn looked at me, the fear in her eyes, it wasn't at me. It was... that I represented what had happened to her."

"And you'll represent stability when this is through." Misty pointed out. "Think of it this way, Ash, Brock and Dawn are gonna have to learn how to handle their new abilities right? They're going to need some cultural context to learn from! What would happen to them if there was no Death the Kid or Shinigami-sama to learn how to be a Shinigami from?"

"I guess you're right."

"Give Ash his space, he'll surprise you by the time this is done. Now help us clean up the camp. Cilan is mad because we're trying to make him pack up without polishing his silver. He's not in a good mood and to add to that he and Brock started drinking. By the time we get to the new camp they'll be smashed out of their minds and Brock will start mistaking Cilan for a girl. And for him, thats when the trouble starts."

"Thats stupid, how could someone get so drunk they think a man is a girl?" Kid asked as he got up, he was trying to think of asymmetrical things to make his hard on go away. It was working, very slowly.

"The last time Brock got drunk off his ass, he slept with James. He had a 3 year relationship with the man that went down in FLAMES." Misty sweatdropped. "And getting him around women of any age above 18 and below 65 is a serious mistake."

"Sounds like Maka's father." Kid muttered.

"So... you had a tent in your jeans. You like men?" Misty smirked.

"I don't know." Kid replied.

"Oh well, thats okay. But if you turn out to be gay there's a lot of hearts you're gonna break." Misty teased. "You're pretty cute, especially those lines in your hair, how'd you dye them in like that?"

"They're natural, I try to dye them out but it won't work." Kid said sourly. "And they aren't CUTE. They're hideously asymmetrical."

"They aren't just cute they're adorable!" Misty squealed.

Kid blushed furiously as they reentered the campsite.

"Hey Kid, that guy sounds like you crying over symmetry." Patti pointed to Cilan and laughed.

"NUUUUUUUUUUU! I can't leave without polishing my silver service!" Cilan wailed. "It must be IMMACULATE for the next meal!"

"You can cook without your stupid silver!" Max was pulling on Cilan's silver serving dome, which Cilan had the other end of. "Brock cooked for us all the time, he cleaned the pots but he never POLISHED them!"

Cilan wailed. "Brock isn't a high class CHEF! I INSIST ON POLISHING MY SILVER DOME! I'M A HORRIBLE CHEF IF ALL MY INGREDIENTS ARENT PERFECT AND MY DISHES IMMACULATE!"

Patti was rolling on the ground laughing at Cilan. "Cilan sounds like Kid with the toilet paper!"

Which prompted an "OH NOOOOOOOOO! I HAVE TO GO BACK AND MAKE SURE I REMEMBERED TO FOLD THE TOILET PAPER INTO A TRIANGLE!" Kid yelled, turning to run for the portal.

Liz and Patti tackled Kid and Patti shoved a roll of toilet paper into his hand. "KIDDO MATTE MATTE!" Liz cried. "Here." Patti grinned. "We anticipated this, so we brought all the toilet paper currently in the manor's bathrooms wiiiiith us!"

Kid shrieked. "YOU DID WHAT?"

"This way you don't have to go back to the Manor to check the toilet paper."

Kid stared at Liz with his eyes watering. "YOU GUYS ARE THE ABSOLUTE BEST!" He sobbed.

"What's wrong with him?" Cilan asked, forgetting about his serving dome.

"OCD. SEVERE OCD." Liz growled. "He's literally run all the way home from EGYPT to make sure the pictures were aligned. We figured since a bunch of Kisshins are guarding the portal that this is the best way to get his OCD to settle down."

"We should get you a Mincinno." Elesa sweatdropped. Tiamat chuckled.

Ash came back then, covered in sweat, reeking of sex. "Hey guys, sorry about earlier. I was in shock and not feeling so hot."

"Its okay. You sure gave Kid a show." Misty snickered. "he enjoyed it too judging from the tent in his pants."

"THAT WAS AN ACCIDENT!" Kid yelled from where he was busy checking the rolls of toilet paper from his house.

Ash blinked. "You /saw/ that?"

Misty smirked. "Me thinks you doth protest too much Death the Kid."

* * *

That night, Quilava walked out to Mamoswine to check on him. "Mamoswine, Mamo..." Mamoswine sighed. He was staring in the direction the Mizune sisters had gone. /There were mice here that had something wrong with them./

"Qui?" /Like what?/

"Mamoswine mamo..." /They felt evil./

"Lavaaaaaaa." /Thats stupid, how can mice be evil./

"Swiiiinneeeeee." /They radiated dark energy./

Both pokemon heard a hiss. An enormous black and yellow cobra slithered out of the alleyway. It was easily twenty feet long, and it was fast. Its hood was up, this creature was here to /kill./

"MAMOSWIIIIIIIIIIINE!" Mamoswine yelled. It turned, kicking a trash can at the snake. It hit the snake in the face, sending it flying backwards. It hissed.

Lights turned on in Soul and Maka's apartment.

"QUIIIIIIII LAVAAAA!" Quilava roared, using flame wheel to drive into the snake. The snake hissed, and leapt for Mamoswine's unprotected back.

Only for its fangs to sink into spines of ice. Quilava jumped on the snake's head, impaling it through the skull on the ice spines. Mamoswine roared, yelling angrily and thrashing around trying to get the snake off.

Soul, Maka and Dawn came running out. "Mamoswine what's wrong!"

"Quiiiiiiiii..." Quilava pulled the snake off of Mamoswine's back, pulling it back towards Maka and Soul.

Maka took one look at the yellow and black cobra and paled. "Are you sure its dead Quilava?"

"Laaaavaaaaaa."

"Come to think of it, Mamoswine was acting really weird earlier. Do you think he sensed the cobra coming?"

"There's one way to tell." Dawn pulled out her pokedex. "Mamoswine, what happened earlier when Soul was feeding you?"

"swiiiiineee, mamoswine mamooooo, maaaaaa swine mamoswine mamooooooooooo!" Mamoswine snorted steam from his nostrils and bristled angrily.

"Pokedex translation unit activated. Translation. There were mice in the alley that felt strange. They radiated darkness. And that snake felt wrong. Soul couldn't feel it?"

"No... I couldn't..."

"Mamoswine swine mamoswinnneeeee."

"I was trying to warn you." The pokedex translated. "But you didn't LISTEN to me when I told you they COULD be spying on us!"

"Jeezus sorry." Soul grunted.

"Looks like Medusa's been watching our apartment." Maka growled.

"Medusa?" The pokemon turned to look up at Soul and Maka.

"She's an evil witch, she already took one of our friends away." Maka growled. "We're gonna rescue Chrona though! YOU MARK MY WORDS!" She declared. The look in Maka's eyes made Dawn back up.

"Okaaaay, remind me never to put you and Ash in the same room."

"hahahahahaha." Maka rolled her eyes and laughed nervously. "Who's Ash anyway? One of your friends?"

"Yep." Dawn blushed. "Ash is kinda... he's kinda like you actually. Really headstrong and stubborn. Only he's not as smart as you are."

Maka laughed. Soul smirked. "Thats my Meister, top of her class."

"Really?" Dawn asked.

"Yeah, what is that thing anyway?"

"Its a pokedex, its an electronic encyclopedia that tells me information about a pokemon. It acts as an ID and it even keeps track of the pokemon I've captured or met on my journey."

* * *

Medusa was scrying the situation, Eruka and Free peering over her shoulders. "Pokemon hmmm? That explains how they outsmarted the familiar."

"Reeb..."

"What does?" Free asked.

"Well to put it frankly, Familiars are rather stupid. They're created to perform one or two simple tasks in combat according to the witch's specifications." Eruka explained. "I love Tadpole Jackson, but he's not very smart."

"There's only so much that can be done with a regular familiar. So the instant you find an entity thats smarter than they are, you're beaten." Medusa said coldly. "I'm not going to risk sending Chrona on such an errand just yet."

"You're going to try and take one of those pokemon?"

"No, I'm going to see whether they're worthy test subjects, and find out where I can get one of my own." Medusa replied. "If Shibusen has found something smarter than a familiar, then there's no point in using familiars anymore is there? So I'm going to scare that child Dawn into telling me where to get one of my own. And if that doesn't work I'll just stalk her until I find out what I want to know."

* * *

Which is what Lord Death explained to Soul when he asked why Mamoswine and Quilava were able to catch Medusa's snake so fast. "Well... to put it bluntly, familiars are rather stupid. Thats how you know its the actual familiar you caught and not Medusa herself. Medusa in a shapeshifted form would have acted far more intelligently than simply jumping on Mamoswine like that. Even though attacking the unprotected back of a slow opponent is a good strategy, Mamoswine wasn't the only pokemon there. Quilava was far faster. So why would Medusa take such a risk?"

"She wouldn't." Soul facefaulted.

"Exactly. Sorry Soul, you may be a Deathscythe but you've got a lot to learn."

"Dawn, starting tomorrow you and Iris are going to be training with class crescent moon in combat class. Be prepared to work hard. I don't want Medusa getting you."

"no... being got by a witch is bad." Dawn sweatdropped.

* * *

Brock had gotten drunk off his ass alright, and made eyes to a drunk off his ass Cilan. The result was the kind of release Brock hadn't gotten since Jessie had broken up him and James. Two dedicated cooks, each fanatical about their pokemon had resulted in... well... lets just say it was like a gay porno and leave it at that.

But Brock was sleeping. "Uxie... you've come to get me haven't you?" Brock asked.

"yes... I'm sorry Brock. Your world needs you, and what I'm about to do can't be taken back." The pokemon said quietly. "Believe me, you don't know it yet, but your sacrifice will save a lot of people and pokemon from death. For this, I thank you."

* * *

"WHY?" Ash demanded of Azelf.

"It is necessary. I chose you for your courage Ash. Don't you have the courage to save people?"

"I don't need to give up my humanity to save people OR pokemon!"

"You're about to step into a world that is INFINATELY more dangerous than your own! Do you even know what you're running into?" Demanded Azelf. "Your sacrifice could save your entire world from certain death!"

"What about Pikachu? What about my best friend? What about Gary? Kid said shinigami live for CENTURIES!" Ash started to cry. "I don't want to live without my friends! Life without Pikachu ISNT WORTH IT! And what about Gary? I'll stay young while he grows old and dies!"

"He said he loved you no matter what, don't you love him?" Azelf asked.

"What's that mean?"

"Nothing lasts forever Ash. Gary and Pikachu are precious because someday they'll be gone! You should love them while you HAVE them! Do you know what its like for me? I watch all my friends grow old and die! I've been around since the beginning of this world! I EXIST to protect it! How DARE you pretend that your life is more important! Don't you get it? Those Kisshins eggs coming through could infect this world with a Dark energy called MADNESS. Madness is DEADLY to pokemon! And it makes humans go insane! It could kill EVERYONE you THINK you can use to defend yourself! Those things could kill Pikachu! They could make GARY go stark raving insane! Don't you get it? THEY ARE GOING TO KILL YOUR POKEMON AND DRIVE YOUR FRIENDS INSANE! ARE YOU GONNA STAND FOR THAT?" Azelf yelled.

Ash stood there, bangs hanging over his face. "Everyone could die?"

"If the kisshin escape and get into your world for more than a month then YES." Azelf sighed. "Thats what I've been trying to tell you this whole time. What do you want? For Gary and Pikachu to live a long happy life with you or to die horribly years before their proper time on this planet is up?"

Ash looked up at Azelf, the irises of his eyes turning from black to gold. "I choose, I choose not to die, I choose to fight!" Ash yelled. "I CHOOSE TO PROTECT!" He shouted as he sat up in bed.

Ash's wavelength ripped through the new campsite. Spirit energy coming off of him in torrents. He screamed in pain and agony. At least Dawn had been unconscious when she changed. Ash screamed in pain.

Kid ran over, minus his shirt. Gary and Pikachu clung to Ash, the energy coming off of Ash was pouring into Gary. Gary's Umbreon latched onto Gary's hair with its teeth, trying to stay put as Ash's soul wavelength blew the tent away. Soul energy coursed through Umbreon, Gary and Pikachu.

"AZELF!" Azelf swept in, Ash's pokemon that had been left at Oak's lab and those he'd left or released elsewhere floating above the scene. **I have chosen you, the brightest of divine lights.** Azelf's telepathy flowed through the scene.

Kid struggled against the energy pouring out of Ash. "Its almost as strong as father's wavelength! What is this?"

**Ash Ketchum, of Pallet town, by the power of my divine light! We the legendary pokemon have chosen you to be this world's Death. By your love for your friends, I name Gary Oak as your scythe, and Pikachu as your guardian! Live, and love well! All pokemon, REJOICE! Our world at last has its Grim Reaper!**

Gary started to glow brilliantly. Ash fell over, so did Gary. Both unconscious. The lines of Sanzu had appeared on Ash's head. When his eyes fluttered open, they shone, glowing a brilliant gold in the night. The stripes on Pikachu's head rearranged into completed Sanzu lines, reflecting the pokemon's level.

"Why's Pikachu's lines complete?" Patti asked.

Oak sighed. "Probably because of Pikachu's level." He pulled a blanket over Ash and Gary. "Starraptor, can you go find the tent that just got blown away?"

"Starraptor!" The pokemon flew off. The others present, the legendaries in particular, bowed in front of Ash. A couple of them muttered what were clearly blessings.

A familiar purple and white figure strode out of the group of legendaries raised to assist in defense. **I remember, I thought it was the pokemon that turned him back from stone.** Mewtwo frowned.** I am sorry Ash, it had to be done. Our world needs someone to be its Death. Upon your shoulders stands hope for our world.** Mewtwo sighed, he turned, flying towards the mountains. **I am going to find the soul walkers. I hope to return by the battle's end.**

"he's not the only one turned tonight." Lenora said quietly. "I just went to check on Brock and Cilan, Brock's hair has changed color, the lines are appearing more slowly on him, but I'd make book on them being done by morning."

Gardenia smiled as she recited the old ritual, a candle flame of green appearing to light her face. A green glow suffused her body. "The choosing of a Death is a sign that Dark times are ahead. In the beginning the First Death was chosen by the legendary pokemon. He was an ordinary human, but they filled him with their energy, the energy of life and death. The First Death did not want to do his work alone, so the Legendary pokemon chose others to be his companions. Some were given the title of Priestess and Witch, others the title of Wild Knight Immortal. Some were chosen to be the first Scythes. Others the title of Soul Healer or Demon Driver for the Wavelength they held or Nature Shamen for their connection to the land. Such gifts were given them by the Legendary Pokemon in trust that they would be used wisely and well."

Fantina's thick, rich french accent came next. A bright blue candle lighting her face and a pale blue glow filling her. "For thousands of years, we lived in peace. The spiritual guardians chosen by the First Death flourished, and as the First Death grew old. His kind walked among humans, their divinity marking them as a boon of prosperity. Each city, each town, each village considered their Shinigami a treasured member of their society. But one day, the Darkness came. One of our treasured guardians abused his power, and instead of protecting the people, he slaughtered and consumed the souls of his village. People and pokemon were slaughtered, their souls consumed, fueling the darkness within him. When the First Kisshin, known also as the Great Betrayer, the Life Stealer, The Fear Bringer, when he rose, darkness and destruction followed."

Kid bowed his head, and now he understood why Father had put Tiamat in charge of this place. The story they were telling, it was a priceless piece of their history as a people. To learn the origin of his /people./ Of the weapons, of the witches, of everything!

Elesa lit her face with a yellow candle, a beautiful golden glow lit her slender frame. "The First Death raised his Scythe in protest to the Great Betrayer, and all darkness swept in, taking away his life. But when the Great Betrayer attempted to consume the First Death's Soul, Arceus the One appeared, and destroyed him. But nothing could give The First Death back to us. Arceus knew the light of his Soul had been great, and that even destroyed, the Darkness created by the Great Betrayer would still ravage his world. Men and women were becoming sick from it, and the Pokemon had hidden in the rocks and caves to wait out the storm. As the world descended into madness, many places were ruined or abandoned, places like Dragonspiral Tower, to this day, we can see the wreckage, and the mysteries. So much of our world's history lost except to only a small few."

Liz and Patti bowed their heads, hats to their chests. Through this ceremony Ash and Gary slept. The pokemon professors bowed their heads, the others present as well.

Flannery lit her final candle, a red one, and her body glowed bright red. "So Arceus called to the two and the three. Together they molded the soul of the First Death into a new world. Though he would never return to the reincarnation que, never be reborn, he sacrificed himself to protect the cycle, a proper and fitting end for the first Shinigami. Arceus created the world of the Magic Weapons, and the Legendary pokemon bestowed their gifts upon this other world. Those infected with the madness were sent there, as well as a decent representation of those to whom they had given their gifts. The weapons became the caretakers of the humans. A small clan of Shinigami departed for the new world."

Tiamat spoke next, a black and white candle in her hand as her body became lit with pure white light. "The Legendary Pokemon then turned to the humans, who mourned, and the pokemon who comforted them, and the Elder Lines, the original clans of shinigami. The Shinigamis heads bowed in mourning, and in shame. They felt as if they had failed."

"then one of them made a request. 'Take my power, put it to sleep, use it to HEAL the land and the people!" She begged. "I do not care about my own power. The Betrayer took my beloved. I do not wish to live anymore as a Shinigami." And another spoke. "My mother was one of those taken away to the Other World. I was fighting for her! I will not fight anymore! My soul is not in it." And many among them agreed. Out of respect for their sacrifice and their service, the Legendary pokemon did not take their powers completely. Rather, they sealed them. These shinigami and their descendants appeared as ordinary human beings, they lived and died mortal. The Legendary pokemon blessed them with good and happy lives with their pokemon. They waited for the day when someone would step up, and sacrifice themselves willingly in the way that the First Death had, not out of a desire for power nor out of some fatalistic belief that their lives were not their own. It was only out of the will to protect that a new Shinigami of this world could be named the New Death."

"The earth and the souls of people and pokemon in it, have acknowledged the birth of a new Death, who has given himself to us out of love and the urge to protect those precious things." Tiamat motioned each of the witches she had brought with her knelt beside Ash.

Gardenia touched Ash's forehead gently. A pulse of green energy coursed through him. "I offer you the blessings of the earth. May you, your kin and the Kin of Your Soul, prosper and multiply. May your families know peace, and your children full bellies and safety. I, Gardenia, watchtower of the Earth, by the gift entrusted to me by the Voice of the Forest offer my Gratitude to you for your sacrifice." She placed the Gracadia flower from her hat upon Ash's chest. "Be blessed, be prosperous, be sound of body."

Energy, soft and green, rolled from Gardenia's body. Kid heard May gasp somewhere behind him and to the right. This was not the dark magic that Kid had known from his training as a Meister. Patti giggled at his left. And at his right Liz smiled a small serene smile. It felt /beautiful./ It was a wonderful, cool tingling sensation and suddenly Kid smelled the clean scent of fresh earth and forest leaves and fragrant herbs. Kid inhaled deeply, the woody scent given off by Gardenia's magic soothed and calmed him.

Fantina stepped forwards next, touching Ash's forehead with blue energy that his body absorbed easily. Fantina smiled and said in her thick french accent. "I offer you the blessings of the waters. May you, your Kin, and the Kin of Your Soul be loved, cared for and care in return, and be stable of heart. May your anger never take a life, may your sorrow never consume you, may your tears be in honor of the lost, never be in despair. May calm be reflected to the world like the moon off of water. May your intuition ever be heard. I Fantina, Watch tower of the Waters, by the gift entrusted to me by the North Wind and the beast of the oceans, the song of the seas and the inexorable grind of glaciers from the mountain tops, offer my condolences and comfort in the face of your sacrifice."

Blue energy coursed through the area, and Misty took a sharp inhale through her nose. Kid could smell ocean air, could hear the singing of whales, the grinding of glaciers and the trickle of melt water. Coolness pulsed through his wavelength, and with it a sense of utter calm and decorum.

Next came Elesa, she too offered her magic, and Kid heard the boom of thunder, saw flashes of lightning in his mind, smelled the ionized air of a thunderstorm and felt the wind whip through his mind. "I offer you the blessings of the air. May you and your Kin and the Kin of Your Soul be clever in mind, swift in food and wing. May your thoughts fly like a Pidgeot, sure of wing, sound of reasoning, and unshakable of joy. May inspiration hit you with the immediacy of a thunderbolt. May the boom that follows it scatter those faint of heart before you. May you and yours be blessed always with soundness of mind. I, Elesa, Watchtower of Air, by the gift entrusted to me by the birds who live in the sky, the lightning who guards ideals, and the god of the winds that sweep the world, offer my insight and my spontaneity in the face of your sacrifice."

And Flannery after, Kid felt the heat of a fire, and a desire kindling inside of him, fighting spirit, the smell of fragrant smoke and the screaming of a phoenix born again from the flames. Kid felt himself getting dizzy and a NEED rising in him. A need not strictly lust, but also consisting of a desire to experience life, to experience excitement. "I offer you the blessings of flame. May you, your Kin, and the Kin of Your Soul be blessed with courage, passion, desire, valor, and the blindness of circumstance and mercy of sword that is Justice. May your inner fire never quench, your curiousity never diminish, your will to fight never die. May your soul never be extinguished, and live eternally in the warmth and light. May you, and those around you, be inspired always with courage and wholeness of soul. I, Flannery, Watchtower of the Flames, by the gift entrusted to me by the Flames of Truth, Love, Inspiration, of the fires inside the earth, and of the grinding of the continents, offer my encouragement, my passion, and my loyalty in the face of your sacrifice."

And finally Tiamat came forwards, body glowing white. "I, Tiamat, by the power entrusted to me by the creator, by the creatures of forest, rock, water, sky and plain, by the Goddess, and by the Treasured Sacrifice of the First Death, will unto you and trust in your hands, the title and blessings of this world's Death. May your scythe never take an innocent. May your life be fruitful rather than long, your soul robust rather than powerful. Carry with you always the Blessings of the Watchtowers, the Four Witches who guard the Truth and the Ideal carried within nature. I, Tiamat, Elder of Dragon Village, Priestess and Witch, bless you in the name of all pokemon."

Clay came forwards next, carrying a black candle and glowing with golden light. "I, Clay, by the power entrusted to me by the people, by the lands of Kanto and its brother Johto, by the Wild natures of Hoen, and Sinnoh, and the ruins of ancient Unova, have come on behalf of the people, to bless the new Death. May he honor and treasure their lives always. May he never betray their trust, and answer to no Darkness, only to his Honor and the Order of Natural Law."

"We welcome thee, Ash Ketchum, new chosen Death, be you always a protector and always fight in the name of trust, courage, and love." They turned. "Death the Kid, son of Lord Death, please step forwards."

Kid hesitated, then came forwards. "We are calling upon you to take up the role of Teacher for this new Shinigami. You are his spiritual protector and teacher, and you are to guide him on the proper path for a Grim Reaper. Do you accept this task?"

Kid blushed furiously, hesitating before he nodded. "yes. I do." Teaching another Grim reaper was a big responsibility. But Kid realized that he had to. Who else was going to teach this new Shinigami how to use his power? There was no one save him and his father. His father couldn't travel. Which meant that if Ash returned home, he'd need a tutor who could move around with him.

"Then the christening of our world's new Death is complete. Please guide him upon the proper path, but always keep his heart in mind when you teach. The best teachers learn from their pupils." Tiamat smirked. "Alright, shows over people, back to bed."

"I don't understand." Kid said as Gardenia stretched and headed back to her sleeping bag.

The gym leader sighed. "On our world we have a blessing ceremony when a new Death is chosen, like a baby's christening I suppose. The three beings of the soul chose the new Death from among the elder lines by seeking someone who will sacrifice themselves as a shinigami not out of resignation of the inevitable /or/ a desire for power, but out of a desire to protect. They appear to the candidates for the next Death and attempt to elicit a protective response from the person, to get them to decide to take up the scythe out of a desire to protect their loved ones and their world. Few people understand that, and so out of the hundreds of hidden Shinigami who do not know of their blood rite, usually only one is chosen to hold the title of "Death." I've seen Ash, he is possessed of a singular drive and passion that will serve him well. A purity and determination that has swayed many to follow him simply by his example." Gardenia said quietly. "He has saved our world, or parts of it, many times in the past, he is a hero. I find his rise to Shinigami to be an inevitability. His rise to his world's Death a foregone conclusion." Gardenia yawned. "I need to get some sleep. I have some serious training to do tomorrow and you have to give him and Gary Meister and Weapon 101. It may be better to sneak them back to Shibusen so you can send your father a report. It takes some seriously advanced communication to speak /through/ the rift. Shibusen likely has the equipment but we don't."

Kid nodded. "Then in the morning, I'll take him and Gary and anyone who wants to go with him to Shibusen. His pokemon will have to go into their balls. The Chupacabra Gang is gathering an army, and they /always/ have guards on duty at the shrine to prevent people going in or out."


	4. Chapter 4

"I'll hide us." Elesa offered. "I can't exactly go up to the castle like this though." Elesa's form shimmered. "aaah, I love glamours. I can change my outfit on a whim!" Elesa's soul now felt like a normal person. "There we go!"

Ash wasn't in a good mood. He was leaning on Gary. His arms and legs wouldn't work right. He felt /cold./ His neck and shoulders /ached/. Kid had said his muscles were changing and that caused the ache. Whatever the reason, Ash was feeling very uncomfortable in his own skin.

"Take this." Tiamat whistled. Several dragon pokemon stepped forwards, bowing for the others to mount. "Elesa, I want you to stay here, guard the portal against entry. I can count on you yes?"

"Of course. I'm not the fastest witch on this world for nothing." Elesa yawned. "Send Fantina with me, she's a wonderful ranged fighter. The two of us together would make a very powerful combination."

It was Ash, Brock, Cilan, Gary, Pikachu, Umbreon, and Ash's unova league team gathered together. Ash called all except for Pikachu back to him, he and Gary were in far worse shape than Brock. Gary was concerned about his lover, and Ash was rather disoriented.

The dragon pokemon could carry more than Beelzebub, and easier than sneaking into and out of the portal like he'd done with Sid. Even better, the Kisshin guards were sleeping! Kid wanted to collect their souls, there were two of them. But Liz pointed out that they didn't want the Chupa Cabra gang knowing they'd been in and out of the portal, and their /job/ was to escort the visitors in. Kid relented.

They made it to the city, landing outside of Maka and Soul's house. "DAWN!" Ash fell headlong off the Salamence carrying him. "iittaaaii... hey, I hit my head and it doesn't hurt a bit! How come?"

"Shinigami constitution." Dawn deadpanned. "I cut my hand on the knife cooking this morning and it healed immediately."

"What? No way!" Ash hurried to look at Dawn's hand. "suuugoooiii. Pikachu look at this! The scar's even fading while we're looking at it."

Dawn blushed. "I don't know what to think."

"me either." Ash said quietly. "I changed too, Mesprit right?"

"Yeah, and Azelf picked you didn't he?"

Ash nodded. "i'm all disoriented, so I'm tripping over my own feet. And everyone I touch feels like they're on fire."

"Yeah, I noticed that too, though Maka's quite comfortable to cling to."

"You're the one who climbed into my bed complaining of a nightmare." maka said dryly. Chrona used to do the same thing. But dawn had odd nightmares.

"Uh yeah, the one where I was at a contest and Ursula-san had her Gabite rip my dress off and everyone was laughing at me and chasing me." Dawn blushed.

"uhuh. And Ursula is?"

"One of my rivals." Dawn drooped. "I have a problem with Plusle and Minun, and she not only trained them, when she found out I have a phobia of those two pokemon she tried to exacerbate that phobia."

"you have a phobia of plusle and minun?" Cilan asked. "What did they ever do to you?"

"Uh well, when I was in elementary school, I hugged them too hard and they shocked me. My hair lit up, and one of the kids said it looked like Diamond Dandruff. Then everyone laughed at me. To this day one of my rivals, Kenny, insists on calling me DD."

Cilan aaahed. "An unpleasant taste."

"ursula likes bullying me, she's done it every contest I've been in that she's also been in since the Grand Festival." Dawn whimpered. "I'm not strong willed or bold at all, not like Ash is." Dawn said shyly.

Maka blushed. Dawn was reminding her of Chrona. And she /longed/ for and mourned for the pinkette. It hurt. Every day before she headed to school, she closed her eyes and tried to send Chrona loving thoughts. But every day the strange pink demon sword meister was gone /hurt./ "its okay. When we get to school today Dawn, will you and your pokemon show us the difference between a pokemon battle and a pokemon contest?"

"uh, sure!" Dawn grinned. "Its real simple actually. A pokemon contest battle is about wowing the crowd more than your opponent is and making your opponent look bad. The point is to show off the best traits of your partner."

"not much for me to work with with Maka, flat chest, fat ankles..." Soul got smacked in the head with a Webster's dictionary and lay there, twitching.

"Kid, it might be better if we ride with you guys. Medusa had a familiar skulking around the alley last night. It attacked Dawn's Mamoswine and Quilava."

"Where is it?" Kid asked.

Maka pointed upwards. Dawn's pokemon had brutally impaled the snake on a pole on one of the buildings through the wound mamoswine had made. And they were taking turns attacking it, using it for target practice and to take out their outrage. Mamoswine was the only one not wreaking his vengeance upon it, he was flopped on the ground, sleeping fitfully.

"I'll have the CSIs for the city come and take it down. You should have called Father."

"We did, he said to wait until the morning and he'd send Professor Stein to investigate. But we came out this morning and the pokemon were busy beating on it." Maka sighed. "I doubt there's any evidence left except the attacks the pokemon made."

"It attacked their comrade." Ash sighed. "And it threatened Dawn by extension. They're real mad. Dawn raised every one of them."

"PACCHIIIIIIIIIII!"

"Pachirisu, I'll thank you to stop destroying my evidence? That familiar is very good dissection material." Stein sighed as he turned the corner, pushing his glasses up on his nose. "Oh, Kid you're back." He peered at the dragon pokemon, then his gaze fell on Ash and Brock. "Oh dear. It seems Shinigami-sama was right. He was hoping he wouldn't be." He offered a hand to Ash to shake. "I'm Professor Franken Stein. I'm Maka and Kid's teacher."

Ash took it. "I'm Ash, and this is Pikachu." "Pikachu, pika pika."

"i'm Brock, I'm a gym leader from Pewter City and I'm training to be a pokemon doctor." Brock grinned.

"I'm Cilan, a pokemon conisseur and one of three leaders of the Striaton City Gym."

"I'm Gary, a pokemon researcher in training. My grandfather, Samuel Oak is the Pokemon Professor in charge of the Kanto region. And this is Umbreon!" "Umbrei!"

"Interesting, a new shinigami, I wonder what its like inside." Stein's eyes glinted at Ash. "A dissection might prove enlightening."

Ash squeaked and pulled away. "Don't look at me... onegai..." He blushed.

"Stein does that to everybody."

"Well." Tiamat said coldly. "Ash has been chosen as our World's New Death. So you will NOT find out what he's like inside. I may be a shriveled eight hundred year old, but I know how to put even the toughest scythe meister over my knee for a spanking!"

Soul snorked. "Spank the teacher."

"Hmm? And who are you?"

"I am Tiamat, the Dragon Witch. And if you lay so much as a scalpel on our world's new Shinigami, yes, all three of them, I will personally give you a thumping!"

"This is the witch Lord Death put in charge of the portal?" Maka's face twitched.

"Thats right!" Tiamat declared. "And I've also been charged with protecting any Shinigami that arise on our world." She said cooly. "You'd better remember that with Dawn Missy. If you hurt her you'll have to deal with me! And /I/ put /MEDUSA/ over my knee back in the day, when she was a WEED!"

Soul snorked. "She said Weed."

"are are, spunkier than an Irishman are you?" Spirit sighed. "Stein you shouldn't hurry ahead like that. You must be Tiamat, Lord Death is waiting for you."

"My subordinates, the Watchtowers, are guarding our side of the portal for me." Tiamat nodded. "Ash, why don't you and Gary tag along with Maka's class this morning. Shinigami-sama and I have much to discuss."

"S... sure!"

Stein chuckled. "This way, why don't you teach my first two periods today?"

"WHAT?" Ash asked.

"You can teach the class about pokemon training." stein chuckled.

"oh, um... well..."

"hey, sounds like fun." Gary grinned. "Ashy-boy, can we have some Teacher/Student play go..."

Ash blushed furiously. "GARYYYYYYYYYY!"

Kid flushed furiously, so did Soul. "You wha huh?" Kid demanded.

"You've never heard of roleplay." Soul deadpanned.

"And you HAVE?" Kid's voice cracked.

Spirit laughed. "now this..." Spirit smirked, looping an arm around Gary. "is a man after my own heart. But mind you, lay a claw on my Maka and I'll make you regret it."

Dawn blinked. "your Maka? d... d... does that mean..."

"He's my /dad/." Maka growled, chopping Spirit on the head. "The problem is he can't keep his hands off the women, so Mama dumped him and became a world traveler to numb the pain."

Spirit yelped, Dawn blushed, staring at Spirit. This was Maka's father? But Maka was so serious, this guy was a jokester.

"What about you Dawn? What are your parents like?"

"Well, I don't remember my dad. He left when I was a little kid. But my mom, Johanna, is a top coordinator in Sinnoh. All my life I've wanted to be a pokemon coordinator just like mama." Dawn said shyly.

Ash chuckled as Dawn kinda, inched over to Maka. Soul rolled his eyes. Maka seemed to have elected herself Dawn's protector. Soul could tell how much she missed Chrona. And when Maka was thinking about her. Soul felt sorry for his Meister. He knew Maka loved Chrona and was heartsick. "Lets get going." Kid hopped back up onto one of the dragon pokemon. The Flygon churred cheerfully. Liz and patti climbed up behind him. Dawn called her pokemon back as they hadn't obeyed Stein's order to not destroy his evidence for even a moment while they'd been talking.

They mounted up and flew. Though Stein insisted on taking the snake, except the Hydreigon he was riding /ate/ it. It seems, the gods of Dissection were not on Stein's side today.

* * *

Medusa approached the city, and found the army of Kisshin's egg warriors affiliated with the Chupa Cabra gang. That was the only tribe they could be. The aztec war costumes, jaguars, eagles, coyotes, the mexican, south west, and plains indian textiles. The preponderance of rusting rifles and hand made bows and flint knapped spears for armaments. They hadn't mustered in these numbers since they'd come to cause chaos during the Mexican American war, feeding off the souls of the American soldiers and even coming to the Mexicans aid. The chupas did not like eating the souls of mexicans or native americans, as that was where they were from. It was peculiar. Most kisshins eggs were voracious. But it was not souls the Chupas coveted, but their culture. As such, they were picky. They were extremely proud, and not easy to manipulate. Ah well, she was just scouting at the moment, there was no need to make more drastic measures.

"Eruka, Free, stay at the edge of the camp. If they attack, run to our last campsite."

They nodded. Medusa wove her way through the soldiers, looking for a particular figure. She found it, a large wolf like kisshin's egg. His body was massive and covered in fur so thick it might as well be armor. "Dire Wolf I presume?"

The wolf was wide awake, wearing the head coverings of a medicine man of the Maya. "You are Medusa, the renegade witch of the sign of the Snake." The massive wolf had been praying over an altar built for the Aztec gods involved in the death processes.

"I apologize for interrupting you in the middle of mourning."

"As right you should! That dratted Shamaness! Her summoned pokemon /slaughtered/ Montezuma. No honor at all in that death. And worst of all, she fed his soul to a RUNT of a baby dragon! Cuatemoc is swearing revenge. We ride to raid the girl's home world!"

"World? Don't you mean homeland."

"Nay." The wolf growled. "Back when he was a child, Lord Death, Lord Eibon, and Lord Asura discovered another world. A rift. They buried Eibon near it, put a temple up around his tomb with the rift and coffin in the very center." Dire wolf's voice was low and husky and it rippled with anger. His fur bristled, and the enormous wolf Kisshin looked like he might spring at any moment, though appearantly he wasn't aimed at Medusa. "That world is home to creatures called pokemon, some are weak, some are strong, some are so powerful they are revered as Gods. Montezuma's killer was a girl from the village of dragons, she has strong latent Magic. Do not expect to sneak up on her easily, or for her to submit without a fight."

"And the other? The girl Dawn?"

"She was chosen by the Gods from among the Elder Lines."

"What are these Elder lines?" Medusa asked.

The wolf kisshin nudged a clay cup full of a traditional aztec chocolate drink towards Medusa. The witch took it, sensing no poisons, curses or spells inside, and drank. It was delightfully bitter. "They are three ancient clans of Shinigami who put their abilities to sleep out of the wish to become humans. They hide as human beings, completely unaware of their abilities. Three of the Elder Lines have recently produced shinigami. But all three are young. Older than Shinigami's brat, Dawn's about the same age but the other two are older. The second is about eighteen. The third in his twenties."

"I see." Medusa turned to go. "Thank you." She tipped the cup back, finishing it in a few seconds. "Very good chocolate, I prefer it bitter."

"Aye, I thought a snake like you would appreciate it. But beware of Eagles Snake. There are plenty of Eagle gods on the other side of that portal, and they are not unfavorable to witches but they do not like either of our kinds." (1)

* * *

Medusa found Eruka and Free again. "Eruka, I have an assignment for you. Be ready to transmit back to me what you find. Free, you're on backup." Medusa descended the Mesa they'd been on, trying to find a suitable cave.

It didn't take long for Eruka to find the portal. It took everything she had to not lose her lunch. The portal was disorienting in the extreme to move through. Still, once she exited it, she moved swiftly and quietly.

Suddenly...

"Zebstrika, double kick!" Eruka hit the dirt, barely escaping the Zebra pokemon's attack.

"Gengar, gastly, sableye, shadow ball!" The shadow balls were so fast, they sent Eruka flying. Not only did Fantina's Gengar come to the party, but it had made friends with a wild gastly and a wild sableeye.

Medusa watched using her snakes and her crystal ball.

"I am the Lightning Witch Elesa, who serves as watchtower of the air. you are trespassing." Elesa said cooly. "Tiamat-sama said no witches from the other world are allowed to traverse the portal. I'm giving you two minutes to pick yourself up and get LOST!"

"And I am ze ghost witch, Fantina! I serve as ze watch tower for ze waters." Fantina's french accent was very heavy. "I suggest you do as ze lady says. Personally, I would have hypnotized you and fed your dreams to ze wild ghost pokemon."

Eruka got slowly to her feet, summoning up a pair of tadpole bombs, one in each hand. "I don't answer to either of you." She flung them at Fantina and Elesa. This was bad, in any coven or mass, the witches chosen as the watchtowers were usually the upper echelon of the fighters and chosen for their offices due to their styles of battle. Being the watchtower of water had nothing to do with water attacks and everything to do with fantina's tactical style.

"SO be it!" Fantina snapped. "Viva la france! Ghost pokemon, charge!" She took a fighting stance and began to chant. "Nostra ghostra, spiritomb de michelle, Nostra ghostra, spiritomb de michelle." (2) A massive ball of black energy began to collect in her hand.

"Raikou taiko arashi taiko HA!" Elesa charged alongside her Zebstrika (3) palms and feet sparking brilliantly with electricity.

Eruka could /barely/ catch up with Elesa's speed. "i'm the fastest witch on this world, you cannot run from ME!" Elesa roared.

Eruka could see that this was going nowhere very fast. Elesa was clearly a close in, hand to hand combatant. But if she used tadpole bomb this close she'd blow herself up. At the same time, Fantina was straffing her with blasts of purple and black magic from a distance. She was cornered.

/Eruka, Free is coming to extract you. Dodge them./ Medusa told her. /I'm getting some valuable data this way. Let them attack you and /evade./ Lead them on, get them to show you their techniques while avoiding damage./

"Tadpole jackson! Come OUT!" Eruka kicked into high gear, hopping on his back and using him to get some distance. Then she strafed tadpole bombs down on them from above, forcing Fantina and Elesa from the shrine and out of the archway. Eruka smirked as she floated above the smoking temple. The smoke washed over Elesa and Fantina. But a wave of black energy shot upwards. When it cleared, Elesa was nowhere to be seen.

The hoof connected with Tadpole jackson, who shrieked in pain, while Elesa grabbed Eruka by the hair and brought a knee brutally into her chest. Eruka was struggling to hold her own. She had /never/ met another witch who's combat style was so... full body! Even Medusa didn't use this degree of speed or motion. Elesa was like a shooting star, fast, brutal, and flashy.

Then the roar. "DEMON EYE CANNON!" Free was there to save her!

"Protect Gengar!" The technique deflected off the protect barrier that Fantina put up. Eruka was, unfortunately, distracted. Elesa's foot came down in a drop kick, sending Eruka plummeting face first to the ground. There was a sick crack, and suddenly Eruka felt her right side didn't work.

Medusa shook her head. Elesa was so fast, she'd overwhelmed Eruka before she could blink, Eruka had tried. She could tell, but Eruka had met someone far stronger than her. "ERUKA!" Free cried, scooping the frog witch up as her tadpole disappeared in a poof.

Elesa darted in at super speed for a lightning laced roundhouse kick to Free's head. The immortal took the blow on his arm. The black and blue bruise healed over instantly.

"An Immortal! Clearly zis is a strange circumstance to see you 'ere." Fantina and Elesa circled. Free snarled, following their circle so that he was never with his back to any of them.

"If you can tell I'm an Immortal, you must know that trying to kill me is useless."

"not entirely." Fantina smirked. "Gengar return. Mismagius! Heal block!"

/Let it hit!/ Medusa told Free.

Free groaned, pretending to be taken by surprise when the attack hit him. Elesa charged, hitting Free in the cheek. "You're fighting this well in HEALS?" Free demanded, the spiked high heals Elesa was wearing severely cut his cheek.

"What can I say, I'm talented. You should think about being a model with a body like that sugar. I know some agents who manage underwear models. I could set you up."

Free blushed hugely. "W... w... WHAT KIND OF WITCH ARE YOU?"

"A stylish one." Elesa fluffed her ponytail. "That friend of yours was so painfully slow, get her out of there. But if I were you, I'd be asking why the wound in your cheek hasn't healed."

/Now retreat. I'm waiting at the portal with a scanner./ Medusa told him.

"Alright already, I'm leaving. It looks like we're definitely outmatched here." Free carried Eruka to safety.

Direwolf growled when he saw the wounds Free and Eruka had. He gently bent down, licking Free's cheek. The wolf in the immortal was... comforted? "Yeah, it really hurts." Free told Direwolf.

Medusa sighed, "come here." She sighed and started scanning the cheek wound. "Interesting, its a negative wavelength that negates the natural regeneration process. In the right hands, it could be lethal to a shinigami or even to that traitor Kim." Medusa smirked. "Who knows, it may even be able to counteract the anti demon wavelength."

Direwolf growled low. "If I were you Medusa, I would be very careful how you use anything coming from the world of pokemon. It is the place that all witches, immortals, nature shamen, shinigami, weapons and other supernatural creatures originally came from. And the Gods who reside there are /violent./ They will not wait and watch you profane them as Shinigami-sama has. If you threaten them or manipulate them, they won't mess around, they will kill you. Arceus is able to turn a soul into a world. Or so the legend says. That is your issue, you have a /use/ relationship with those around you. You think about its use, and not how it could attack you in retribution for such use." Direwolf sighed. "I can counteract it, hold very still." The wolf kisshin's front legs morphed into arms, which dipped into a pouch draped over his back and came up with a clay jar of salve. He smeared some onto the wound, which promptly closed over. "Heal block works by blocking the natural processes of healing. Its especially dangerous for your kind. Take the salve, it will undo the heal block attack when smeared upon a wound. Medusa has already more than compensated me for that which I give you." A vial of black blood was hanging around Dire wolf's neck.

"Are you going to use it yourself?" Asked Free.

"Noooooo... my blood is already blacker than Xiabalba. (4) This is for my REVENGE." Direwolf replied. "I will make the nature shamaness who killed Montezuma unclean. The Chupas have declared open season on her."

* * *

"I have a meeting this morning and a treat for you for first and second period class. We have guests visiting Shibusen from an isolated group of provinces. These are Ash, Brock, Dawn, Iris, Cilan and Gary." Kim had come back, and Maka was really excited and had spent her home room trying to bring the Tanuki witch up to date.

"Hajimemashite!" The pokemon trainers bowed almost as one.

"They specialize in a non magical form of summoning indigenous to their respective areas called pokemon training. There are many kinds of pokemon trainers. These six are currently being hunted by a gang of Kisshins so they're going to be staying in Death City for awhile for their protection. As you can see, three of them are shinigami, and if they like it here Lord Death has given them permission to attend here long term." Dawn courtsied. Ash blushed sheepishly.

"Alright! Another nature shamen!" Kilik exclaimed when he saw Iris.

"I've asked them to teach you a little bit about their pokemon partners. I have some things I need to discuss with Lord Death in the meantime, so please behave while I'm gone!"

Stein wheeled airily out of the hall.

Ash grinned hugely. "Right! Come on out and join the class everybody!" "Snivy!" "Oshawott! OSHA OSHA!" "Tepig!" "Tranquil!" "Scraggy!" They bowed, introducing themselves one by one. Pikachu hopped off Ash's shoulders and beamed, waving a tiny paw. "Pikachu!"

"My turn." Brock tossed his pokeballs up into the air. "Crogunk, cro, cro, cro..." "Chansey chansey chan!" "Suuuuuuuuudo woodo!"

Dawn smiled. "One of my pokemon, Mamoswine is too big to fit in the classroom. Though I'm sure Soul can tell you all about him! But my others are..." "Piiiplup!" "Buneary!" "Pachirisu!" "Togekiss!" "Quilava!" They all beamed, waving or bowing, or bouncing.

"My axew is currently in the dispensary." Iris drooped. "Choked on and swallowed a kisshin's egg. It made him sick. But I also have..." "Excadrill!" "Emolga! Emo emo!" Emolga bounced over to patti and promptly planted itself in her lap. Patti giggled and stroked the pokemon, who settled down immediately to snuggle.

"And my pokemon are Pansage, Dwebble and Stunfisk!" Cilan beamed, twirling elegantly as he summoned his pokemon.

Gary chuckled. "I have way too many pokemon to name them all, but I brought six of them with me." "Electavire!" "Umbreon! UMBRE!" "Blastoise!" "Arcanine!" "Scizor!" "Dodrio!"

Ash scratched his head absently. "Hmm, where should we start?" He asked Brock and Cilan.

"Basics, Stein gave us two hours, so we probably won't get to battling until the end." Brock hmmmed. "So... we have a breeder, a conisseur, and a researcher... which of us should go first?" He asked.

"Why don't I do the basics, Brock does care, Gary can do equipment..." Cilan grinned as he moved to the blackboard.

Brock nodded. "After you Cilan-hakase."

"oh stop it. I'm a conisseur not a professor. Don't see how the real pokemon professors do it. They really are amazing folk." Cilan blushed. He beamed. "Right! We'll start with what are pokemon? The name pokemon is a portmanteu of the words pocket and monster. And in some languages such as Japanese the portmanteu isn't used at all. (5) Pokemon have several common characteristics that distinguish them from summoned creatures used by Witches."

Cilan grinned. "First of all, all pokemon have a type. Types determine what sorts of attacks the pokemon can use and what sorts of attacks it can defend against. Oshawott, Tepig, Snivy, can you step forwards please?"

"Oshawott!" "Tepig!" "Snivy." Snivy humphed.

"Here we have the otter pokemon, Oshawott, the pig pokemon Tepig, and the grass snake pokemon Snivy. Oshawott is a water type. Tepig is a fire type. And Snivy is a grass type. They are traditional pokemon to give to a newbie trainer in Unova, my home region. And each one has a tactical advantage against another one of the three. Water beats fire, which beats grass, which beats water. To figure out a type advantage you should think of it like rock paper scissors."

Cilan beamed. "These are the pokemon types." he was making a chart on the board. "Bug, Dark, Dragon, Electric, fighting, fire, flying, ghost, grass, ground, ice, normal, poison, psychic, rock, steel, and water." Cilan wrote the type's strengths next to their name.

The students were furiously taking notes, and some were just staring, Soul just sat back listening to the lecture rather than taking notes. Maka's pen moved a bit slower than the others, and she held her questions, knowing she could just ask later.

"Each species of pokemon has its on unique features and habits, and a trainer should account for these features when raising the pokemon, as it will distinguish it from other pokemon of its type. Type is not the sole determinator of the attacks a pokemon is able to use either. My pansage, for example, can learn the flying type move "Acrobatics" as well as the poison type move "toxic" and the fire type move "sunny day." Offensive moves of a different type are useful for your pokemon if you're fighting an opponent that it has a disadvantage against. For example a fellow grass type is vulnerable to a flying type move, but grass moves would be difficult for it to win against."

"Type advantage and disadvantage is not set in stone. One of Ash's specialties in combat is using a pokemon of the same type or that has a disadvantage against the type he's fighting. To be able to win despite a type disadvantage is a sign of two things, a highly trained pokemon, and a very skilled trainer who knows what he's doing. While type matching is a great tactic to ensure victory, it is not the only factor in determining it." Cilan smiled.

"There is one more factor in pokemon that cannot be underestimated, Pokemon /evolve./" Cilan smiled, letting that sink in for a moment.

"I'll use Oshawott, Tepig, and Snivy as another example. Once they've reached a certain level of experience, each of these pokemon can evolve a sum total of twice. Oshawott becomes Dewott and then Samurott. Tepig becomes Pignite and then Emboar. And finally Snivy becomes Servine and then Serperior. Each evolution changes the pokemon's body profoundly. While not all pokemon evolve, the ones who do are extremely difficult to recognize from their former selves unless placed side by side. Sometimes, even their personality changes."

Ox's hand shot up. "Cilan-san, do you have three pokemon that are related by evolution that I can examine?"

Cilan blinked. "Whatever for?"

"I'd like to use soul perception on a pokemon, preferably as its evolving, to determine if its soul changes shape with its body." Ox replied.

"I don't keep several pokemon of the same species." Cilan facepalmed. "The most balenced pokemon teams are the ones that have a lot of different pokemon on them. Even trainers who specialize in a single type of pokemon rarely keep pokemon of several types."

Gary chuckled. "I have a pokemon you can take care of thats close to evolving if you want to try. Its not very strong though, and you'd have to wait a couple of weeks for it to evolve fully." Gary kept an overabundance of caterpie, weedle and wurmple around for his research. Bug type pokemon evolved fast, and they were popular with elementary school teachers looking to illustrate pokemon evolution to their students. He sighed. "But i'd have to have my grandfather send it to me from his lab. I think my umbreon has a couple of eggs too."

"I would appreciate getting to study some of them at length." Ox nodded greatfully, and gestured for Cilan to continue. "And I don't mind if I have to wait either."

Cilan smiled. "Like type advantages, evolution can be overcome. Using an item called an everstone on a pokemon that evolves will prevent it from ever evolving. Other pokemons evolution can be done by bringing them to a certain place to train, by giving them an item and then having them battle with it, or by special stones. Evolution stones are instantly recognizable, even to a newbie trainer, because they look like very unusual gemstones that glow with elemental energies. The energies of an evolution stone are what triggers the evolution. Still more pokemon evolve as a result of being extremely happy, and others by the use of a particular move in battle. For example, Dawn's Mamoswine evolved from a Piloswine by using the move ancient power in combat. How and why pokemon evolve is poorly understood."

"a pokemon trainer of any level should concentrate on earning their pokemon's respect and trust. When a pokemon reaches a particular level of strength, it stops obeying its trainer until that trainer shows his or her worth. Usually by defeating gym leaders and earning badges. But the badge alone does not guarantee submission or obedience. Pokemon are not creatures that "submit" and they obey the humans they care for and who care for them. If, for example, I lose Pansage's respect, he will cease to obey me. Ash and Gary are therefore very skilled trainers, even though Ash's current team is small, he has multiple final evolution pokemon waiting for him at Gary's grandfather's laboratory. The final count of fully evolved pokemon Ash had last I checked was thirteen. While he doesn't have nearly as many as his peer, Gary, Ash actually has a great amount of skill in raising pokemon, and has taken the time to develop a working relationship with all of them."

Ash blushed. "Aw shucks Cilan."

Gary ahermed. "Of course Ash, when you go for numbers you don't mess around, considering you caught 30 tauros."

Ash turned from pink to scarlet, the dark blue lines of sanzu in his hair flopped forwards to cover his eyes in a gesture of embarrassment. "What can I say, I got carried away." Ash mumbled. "I was working off the stress of the game warden putting a /gun/ to my head over that damned Dratini."

"You need to tell me that one sometime." Cilan chuckled. "Pokemon are just as intelligent as human beings, some of the younger ones act just like children. Baby pokemon hatch from eggs, and while they can walk, talk, and interact almost immediately upon hatching, they require some firm training and guidance and exposure to multiple environmental stimuli. This would explain, how Iris' Axew, which is only a baby, ended up choking on a kisshin's egg soul. It was stuck in piplup's beak, and Axew was trying to get it off like any child would for a friend. But the kisshin's egg popped off and went flying into Axew's mouth. Axew choked, and on reflex because he didn't know what else to do, swallowed. Baby pokemon therefore have to be raised just as carefully as a young child. And those who raise pokemon from eggs often dote on their baby pokemon the way some parents dote on a newborn. In our home regions, pokemon are used to teach students responsibility. And teachers can pokemon eggs for such a purpose as much as they can use pokemon that have already been born." Cilan's smile was far warmer than Stein's, his notes on the bored and his speech when talking, was rhythmic, and very patient, far different from when he was acting as a pokemon connoisseur."

Brock smiled, Cilan's skill with pokemon and his vast array of knowledge was becoming very clear. He and Cilan agreed to get to know each other better after their drunken carousal last night.

"any questions so far?" Cilan asked.

"Individual characteristics, how do these factor into play? And are there common type personality traits?"

Cilan smiled. "aaah, individual characteristics are more related to the pokemon's personality and the parts of its body that make it unique. I can show you on Oshawott over here." Cilan pointed to Oshawott's scalchop. "Oshawott carries a special weapon called a scalchop. This is its unique physical trait. Oshawott only has one scalchop, while its evolved form Dewott has two. Oshawott are very attached to their Scalchops, and will get very upset if they lose theirs. Snivy meanwhile, has the notable personality trait of being smug and some can be rather stuck up. They are calm, clever pokemon who will watch and observe before joining in an activity. So they are a good flavor to match with a trainer who prefers more deliberate or cautious tactics. My dwebble is another example of a pokemon with unique physical and personality traits. Dwebble are hermit crab pokemon, which will often carve rocks into the shape of a shell. These rocks are like homes to Dwebble, they look at them literally like a human would a house or apartment. Dwebble will act quite normally, if a bit shy, when they have their shells. In fact Dwebble are very shy. But they also fight each other over their shells. The dwebble who loses their shell actually becomes quite cowardly, as their back end is very open to attack. A dwebble who has lost its shell will become just as depressed as an Oshawott who loses its scalchop, with the addition that the poor thing will be quite frightened of most who approach it and run away or burrow underground rather than fighting." Cilan explained. "Do you see? Training is the best way to overcome it... er..."

The students still didn't look like they got it. So Cilan snapped his fingers. "Okay, its like this. Two weapons of different types come down to the front and transform."

Havar got up, and Jackie with him. They changed, transforming into a spear and a lantern. "See? The same Meister would fight differently with different types of weapons." Cilan explained. "And would compensate for the partner switch with training and getting to know the new weapon. Its the same thing with pokemon. When you get a new one, you have to get to know its moves, its body type, its personality, and its combat style. All of these features determine the battle style you'd use with it. Thank you, you may sit down."

They headed back up to their seats. "But now that we're getting into personality, we're boardering on care, which means its Brock's turn."

Brock beamed. "Right, Cilan has already established that pokemon are intelligent beings with strange powers that require respect and teamwork to work with. /And/ that they have distinct personalities /even/ among the same species. So I suppose I'll start with physical care, and move on to more specialized breeding techniques. Now some species have unique needs to them, or to their body type if they have similar physiques."

"Just like any pet, a pokemon's basic needs have to be provided for, food, water, shelter, grooming and hygiene and care. In addition certain body types have specific specialized needs. Pikachu, Pachirisu, and Emolga, can you come over here please?" Brock moved to Stein's desk and Pikachu hopped up onto it. Pachirisu joined him. And Emolga blew a raspberry at Brock from Patti's lap, she was just fine where she was thank you very much, especially since Patti had been petting her and giving her ear scritches this whole time. "Fine Emolga, I can do the lesson with just Pikachu and Pachirisu, but only Pikachu and Pachirisu will get poffins."

"EMOLGA!" Emolga swooped down from Patti's lap, enticed by the promise of food as a reward.

"Traitor." Patti muttered.

"Electric rodent pokemon are a fixture in their native provinces. Johto, Kanto and parts of Hoen have Pikachu, Pichu and Raichu, but Hoen also has Plusle and Minun. Sinnoh has Pachirisu, an electric squirrel, due to its more temperate climate. And Unova has Emolga. They're very useful for illustrating specialized pokemon care needs. Can anyone tell me what the faces of these pokemon all have in common?"

Maka's hand shot up. "Maka?"

"They all have spots on their cheeks!"

"Thats right! All electric rodent pokemon have spots on their cheeks, they're sacks. Thats where they generate their electric shock from. However, electric rodent pokemon will also store electricity in their cheeks. Think of it as being similar to hamsters and gerbils storing food. Only less obvious. After exposure to powerful electric charges, these cheeks become overloaded with electricity, and the pokemon develops a fever. It looks for all intents and purposes as if its got a cold. So trainers of electric rodent pokemon have to keep an eye out for when their partner's cheeks are getting overloaded. When this happens, a good stiff battle or another occasion to correct the amount of electric charge is needed. This condition could happen automatically over time, or it could be the result of a lightning strike hitting the pokemon or, as rodents are prone to do, the pokemon could chew the wires of electronic equipment, and end up absorbing the charge that way. In Kanto in Viridian City, Pallet town, and pewter city, Pikachu can actually be considered a pest, because they're small enough to crawl into building walls, and then chew the wiring to boost their power. Electric pokemon are easily the only creatures in existence that could benefit from sticking their fingers into an electric socket."

"So, now that we've talked about specialized needs, lets talk about food." Brock grinned, setting his bag on the desk and pulling out different cans. He carefully covered the labels of all of them. "now, I want Oshawott, Tepig, Snivy, Piplup, Buneary and..." Brock looked over the pokemon present. "Togekiss, please form a line at the desk." Brock carefully placed a dish of each type of food on the floor.

"And now we do a blind taste test. I want each pokemon I asked to take one piece of food from each dish. And one by one eat it."

The pokemon each took a piece from the bowl. And they sat down, Emolga sure to be first in line and take two of each instead, and one by one sampled the pieces they'd took.

The result was quite revealing. The pokemon would either sort of head tilt as if the flavor was so so, spit it out, gag, or make some other gesture of disgust and irritation, or sighs of pleasure and hearts in their eyes.

"Er... what happened?" Kilik asked, blinking.

Brock chuckled, turning the labels on the cans. Each had a label. Electric, water, grass, fire, normal, flying. "Each food was formulated to cater to the tastes of the pokemon's type. As a pokemon breeder, I pay very special attention to the pokemon food. You notice Emolga is busy chowing down on the bowl of electric blend."

Indeed, Emolga was proving a very greedy glutton, eating so fast, and so much, that her belly was bulging. She waddled up the stairs to Patti as that large bowl had left her too full to fly and climbed into her lap, "emolgaaaa..." and then promptly fell asleep.

"Glutton." Iris snorted. There was a soft giggle from the class.

"While in the regions where pokemon reside, pokemon food is widely available at the store, many trainers learn how to make their own, and in rural areas, very often the local pokemon breeder is the person who teaches them how to do this.

"Pokemon for the most part subsist on a completely vegetarian diet. Meat simply isn't good for them, it makes them sluggish and fat, on occasion it can give them all kinds of intestinal trouble." Brock explained. "However, pokemon do consume milk and occasionally eggs." Brock beamed. "This makes figuring out what to use in pokemon food rather easy. Just don't use meat, and emphasize fruits and vegetables over grain or milk."

"In addition, different regions have different forms of pokemon food that are preferred as supplementary diets to a pokemon's regular food or are considered special treats for pokemon. Johto's famous Moo Moo milk is the milk of a pokemon called Miltank, and is edible by humans and pokemon alike. Sweet honey is a special honey created by bee pokemon called Combee in the sinnoh region and is very popular with insect, bird and rodent pokemon.

"In hoen, they make pokeblock candies for pokemon out of fruit, and in sinnoh pokemon coordinators make pastries called poffin out of fruit and nut flour batter. In Johto, athletes make apricon berries into milkshakes for their pokemon. These serve as energy drinks between events and a great way to cool down." Brock explained. "a trainers has a wide variety of choices for feeding their pokemon, and really trial and error is the best way to figure out what your pokemon like." Brock beamed. "Any questions on food?"

"Dawn taught me and soul about poffins last night, but how do you make pokeblock?" Maka asked.

"aaah, pokeblock you need a pokeblock blender, a cutting board, a knife, and whatever fruit you're using to make them." Brock chuckled. "A pokeblock blender does all the work for you, you just have to figure out how much of each ingredient you're using."

Maka nodded, making a note. She couldn't get any of that. But it was interesting to know.

"now, on to medical care." Brock carefully tossed the empty canisters in the garbage and began laying out items on the desk. "If you're in the back rows you can come down to get a better look, just don't get disorderly. Pikachu I'm gonna need you again."

The back three rows came down to get a better look. "I have a variety of home and herbal remedies, and store bought medicines for pokemon first aid. We already covered some species having unique medical concerns, but these are the sorts of medicines trainers use when their pokemon get injured on the road. In regions where pokemon reside, pokemon centers act as hospitals and inns for pokemon and trainers that are on the road. The attendants there are Nurse Joy, a clan of identical pokemon nurses who are all related. While some nurse joys have taken administrative positions in varying pokemon related offices, their traditional role is as pokemon medical staff.

"So, we'll start with basic store bought remedies. Pokemon can be inflicted with different status conditions. They can be hypnotized into sleeping, poisoned, paralyzed, they can sustain burns that cause escalating damage and they can sustain frostbite from ice attacks known as freezing. Each of these has a generic store bought remedy. Awakenings are administered as an eyedropper of liquid dripped into the mouth or as a smelling salt. Antidotes and paralyze heals can be injected directly into the pokemon with a needle and paralyze heals, burn heals, and ice heals can be administered as salves. Full heals are a powerful all purpose status heal injection that cures all of these. Potions are spray medicines used to dress battle wounds that trigger a slow but noticable regenerative reaction in the pokemon its administered to. Potions come in different grades, and some of the more expensive ones can combine a potion with a full heal. Revives and max revives are pills used to restore a pokemon's health after its been knocked out in battle. Two status conditions don't have store bought cures except for full heal, confusion and infatuation. Multiple techniques can induce confusion, and the pokemon temporarily loses reasoning capacity and experiences severe problems with equilibrium. This messes up both rational thinking on the pokemon's part and their ability to aim and coordination. Very often the end result is that the pokemon may accidentally harm themselves or in a double battle their comrade.

"Infatuation is inflicted by only one pokemon technique, attract." Brock turned to the other trainers. "Any of you have a pokemon with that move so I can demonstrate?"

"Snivy can do it can't you Snivy?" Ash asked.

"Snivy." Snivy said smugly.

"Okay Snivy, demonstrate attract on Oshawott for me!" (6)

"Oshawoooott!" Oshawott made a muscle and tapped its chest at Snivy bravely.

Snivy giggled. "Sni sni sni sni sni..." then. "sniiiiivvyyy!" Snivy blew a kiss, batting her eyelashes and sending a line of floating pink hearts at Oshawott.

The hearts circled Oshawott, the students peered over the edge of the desk intensely. The hearts closed in and were absorbed into Oshawott, who's eyes turned into big pink beating hearts, blushed furiously, and Oshawott began to sway over to Snivy. "Oshawott, Osha osha!" Oshawott swooned.

"As you can see." Brock chuckled. "Oshawott has completely lost its wits and is infatuated with Snivy. If you tried to give it an order, saaaay, Oshawott, please demonstrate Razor Shell for the students."

"osshaaaaaa." Oshawott followed Snivy as the pokemon paced on the stage.

"Attract only works." And as Brock explained Snivy lead Oshawott in a circle around the stage. Oshawott plucked one of the berries, a lum berry, from the desk and presented it to Snivy swooning. ("Oshawott, osha osha.") "When the two pokemon are the opposite gender. A female cannot use attract on another female, only on a male. Its a great way to learn your pokemon's gender. But it doesn't help you in a battle." Brock chuckled.

Oshawott offered the lum berry to Snivy. Snivy shook its head, split the berry in half, and gave half of it to Oshawott. Oshawott squealed, hearts floating above its head with a huge blush as it chewed on the lum berry. "oshaaaa?" It blinked, the hearts disappearing.

"Lucky for us Oshawott grabbed a Lum berry to give Snivy. The lum berry does the same thing as a full heal, not only are they delicious pokemon food, they can be used as first aid medicine too."

Kim was taking copious notes. Brock beamed. "Now, that brings us to herbal cures. I have a variety of herbs and medicinal berries up here. Cheri berries are used in paralysis cures, chesto berries are the main ingredient in awakenings, and the juice of one can be administered with an eye dropper to wake a sleeping pokemon. Pecha berries are used in poison antidotes for both people and pokemon, though it takes more of them and other ingredients to formulate a human antidote wheras a pokemon just has to eat the berry. In pokemon, Pecha berries kick the immune system into overdrive and help bolster kidney and liver function to help them overcome the poisoning. Aspear berries and rawst berries are used in skin poultices, lotions and salves for pokemon frost wounds and burn wounds respectively. Preparations with rawst berries restrict bloodflow to a burned area and help to numb the pain. Aspear berries restore bloodflow in areas where cold wounds have restricted it and they help to heal skin thats been damaged by an ice burn." Brock explained.

"now these... these are a bit more special. These two water weeds you have to dive for in cracks in the lakes, but they help make paralyze and poison cures respectively. These are far more effective in incidents where pokemon have accidentally or in self defense poisoned or paralyzed humans. These should be administered as an infusion or as an oil. Infusion is actually the fastest."

"Pokemon can poison or paralyze humans?"

Ash chuckled, "It regenerated thanks to my shinigami abilities, but there used to be some scars on my scalp, under the hair, from when I trained my charizard. Charizard are fire type pokemon, and mine didn't like me that much. We get along now but for the longest time Charizard would blast me with his flamethrower attack. And I kept getting burned. Some grass and poison pokemon have reflexes when attacked, threatened, or excited that cause them to spray poison or stun spores at whoever's bothering them. Some pokemon with large mouths or teeth develop an oral fixation, usually on hair, where they'll latch onto someone's head with their mouths and suck on them. My Gible and Totodile do that. My torterra did when it was small but it got over it as it grew. While Pikachu and other electric rodents are popular pets for girls and young children, if you squeeze them too hard, they tend to get irritated and shock people. Its not uncommon for a pokemon trainer to incur a lot of accidental injuries either by enthusiastic pokemon, or by being overenthusiastic one's self." Ash explained. "I've been hit by stun spore before, its very nasty. It inflicts a painful fever as well as paralysis. Ever since then I've kept salveyo weed potion on hand because its useful against those kinds of injuries."

"I want to test something." Kid said as he raised his hand. "Do any of your pokemon have a technique that the salveyo weed potion can be tested on?"

"MATTE! KIDDO!" Liz shrieked.

"I don't think you should try to test it on purpose." Ash shuddered. "I wouldn't stick my head in a vileplume or gloom's flower if you paid me."

"I wanted to see if my shinigami constitution made me immune." Kid sounded disappointed.

"Then I suggest you wait and see until you encounter wild pokemon, rather than purposefully court disaster in my class." Brock told him rather sternly. "Stein made it clear we were responsible while he was gone."

Kid made a snorting noise.

"Now we also have revival roots, which should be gound or chopped and administered after a pokemon has been knocked out in battle. Energy root and energy powders, which restore energy after a pokemon is fatigued. And Heal root and heal powder for varying kinds of wounds and physical ailments. These specific herbs are very bitter, and pokemon don't really like them very much. We also have lava cookies, which are sort of an ethnic version of full heals, and will cure any status condition including confusion and infatuation. Lava cookies can be ground up if the pokemon is too sick to have solid food, and made into a drink. They're edible by humans as well, but they're a bit hard to chew." Brock held up a lava cookie.

The students from the back row had gotten up to have a closer look at the medicines. Kim stayed to the front of the class, taking copious notes as fast as her hands could move.

"These aren't all the pokemon medicines or nutritional supplements available, there are many regional herbal cures depending on what area you're from. There are also techniques that pokemon can use to heal another pokemon or to regenerate themselves. Recover is common among the psychic type. Synthesis is a grass regeneration move. Aromatherepy is a cure for status conditions. Heal pulse is a pulse of energy that heals a comrade. Softboiled can be used by Chansey and Blissey to heal a fellow pokemon. Roost allows a flying type pokemon to regenerate their wounds. And Rest allows a pokemon to sleep and regenerate. Rest, and the sleep condition don't necessarily mean that the pokemon is helpless. A pokemon can use some attacks like Sleep Talk when they're sleeping." Brock concluded for medicine.

"now for grooming, a pokemon with fur would obviously need to be brushed, the longer the fur, the more brushing is required. Bare skin should be regularly washed. But some fire and rock type pokemon can't tolerate water, fire ground and rock types have a no water liquid soap or essential oil used to keep their skin healthy. These oils should also be used on non water type pokemon with scales. Of course, except for those types that are weak against fire, pokemon can be bathed with regular water and soap. However, reptile pokemon or pokemon with leathery skin can develop painful flakey patches that need to be moisturized. Which is why these oils are out there. Fire, ground, and rock type pokemon should never be exposed to water to be cleaned. Bird pokemon preen themselves like regular birds, and cat pokemon will groom themselves just like actual cats do. Many pokemon have developed ways to keep themselves clean that are typical in the animal kingdom. So really, in many matters a pokemon's behavior can be their trainer's guide." Brock beamed.

"As far as where to keep a pokemon goes, if they can fit inside, then you should allow them to come inside like you would a dog or cat, after all, they're a member of your family." Brock smiled, patting his Crogunk on the head. "I believe its Gary's turn to go over equipment?"

Gary nodded and grinned. "Lets start with the pokeballs used to capture and summon pokemon." Gary carefully packed up Brock's medicines and handed him the bag. Brock stepped aside and waited, crouched with Crogunk and Chansey, one hand on each, at the edge of the lecture podium.

"The red and white pokeball is the basic ball used by all trainers. However, there are pokeballs that work better in certain circumstances or against certain pokemon. You can tell what pokeball you have by looking at the markings on it. The basic three pokeballs are pokeball, great ball, and ultraball. Timer balls work best after a long and tiring battle. Repeatballs are best used on pokemon you've caught before. The more of the pokemon you have, the more likely it is to catch that pokemon. Quickballs are used on pokemon right off. Duskballs work best at night or underground, anywhere there isn't sunlight. Net balls are used on water and insect type pokemon. Nest balls are used on weak pokemon. Luxury balls make pokemon more comfortable, and therefore happier when inside their pokeballs. Heal balls immediately heal a pokemon thats been injured thats caught in them. Dive balls are used to catch pokemon while under water. They're coated with a substance that lowers their friction with the water, meaning they aren't slowed down as much as a normal pokeball if thrown under water."

Gary was laying them out one by one. Then he beamed. "In the Johto region, there's also a pokeball smith named Kurt, who will turn Apricorn nuts into specialty pokeballs. The Fast ball is for pokemon capable of moving at high speed. The heavyball is for pokemon that weigh a lot, the heavier they are the better its catch ratio. Friend balls make pokemon more friendly towards you, again by being more comfortable than an ordinary pokeball. Love balls are for pokemon that are the opposite gender of the one you're using. Level balls are used for low level weak pokemon. Lure balls are for water pokemon exclusively. Moon balls are only used to catch pokemon that evolve using the moon stone. All of these balls are made by hand and rather rare. They are worth the patience to acquire as equipment."

Maka raised her hand. "What's this Kurt guy like?"

"Elderly and irascible. He's hard to please and rather stern. Despite his age, he's very strong. He does, after all, work a blacksmith forge. He's rather short, and rather bent backed. But he has a powerful character that you can just feel radiating off of him. Almost as if his upright and rather inflexible character is being broadcast into the room." Brock spoke up. "I met him once, me, Ash, and she isn't here but our friend Misty was there too."

Gary smiled at Brock. "Yes but you're a gym leader, well, ex gym leader now. You have privileges."

Brock laughed. "yeah, officially stepped down in favor of my brother. I'm gonna have to do my rotation requirement for pokemon medical school." He sighed. "Chansey and I are gonna have almost /no/ spare time when that happens."

Gary chuckled. "How do you think I felt when I went off to college to follow in my grandfather's footsteps? Anyway, back to equipment. Pokeballs all have a registration number. Those numbers are registered to your pokedex, and if scanned the pokeball would have a chip in it saying who owns the pokemon inside, or if its empty the pokeball inside." Gary held up his pokedex. "This is a pokedex, a handy electronic index of information on pokemon. Pokedexes also act as ID, and they register your pokemon on them. As well as any competitive data related to them." Gary beamed. "There's a few other items that aren't essential, but are helpful." He held them up one by one. "Pokenavs are similar to gps, enabling the owner to simply point and click to identify landmarks and providing a variety of maps. Poketches are small wristwatch like devices with a touch screen used as time pieces, calenders, scanners, notepads, they have coin toss apps, ways to scan your pokemon's happiness, you can even set a kitchen timer on them. And of course, they tell you the time." Gary smirked at that last one. "A pokegear is a portable video phone, and an item called an Xtransciever builds on this to make a more advanced communication device between multiple people. In addition to these high tech devices, there are numerous items that can help a pokemon in battle. Trainers will often develop their own, if a pokemon for some reason has a unique difficulty or need."

Ash chuckled. "Ask Oshawott about the giant scalchop I made him train with so that he could fight an electric type." He grinned. "At the start Oshawott could barely lift that thing. But eventually he could lift it in one hand. It got shattered to pieces in the actual battle, but Oshawott fought like a real trooper."

"Osha, oshawott!" Oshawott struck a fierce fighting stance and thrust his scalchop fiercely in the air. "Osha, osha, osha!"

"Some of these items can be found naturally in nature. Other trainers simply don't use training aids, relying solely on their pokemon's innate strengths. There's no right way to train a pokemon. There are wrong ways, if you're cruel to it for example, but there's no single right way. Each pokemon has to be trained the way you would a weapon, in a matter that is unique to the summoned creature. Even between species there are variations in personality." Gary concluded. "Now, I want Dawn and Iris to take a turn. Ladies, I want you to talk about specialized jobs for pokemon trainers?"

"Um, sure!" Iris and Dawn looked at each other. "Which of us should go first?" she asked.

"I'll do coordinator, watcher, pokemon ranger, and pokemon officer, you?"

"eeeh, lets see. I can do pokemon researcher, pokemon conisseur is probably better left to cilan to explain. I can explain the role of the dragon masters, and I can explain gym leaders, the elite four and the champions."

"might as well, if this goes on Cynthia might decide to nominate herself our body guard."

"Can a champion just do that?" Iris asked.

"Cynthia would even if she weren't allowed to." Dawn told Iris, who nodded.

"Okay, my specialized pokemon vocation is that of a pokemon coordinator. Pokemon coordinators are different from run of the mill pokemon trainers. Pokemon coordinators learn an invaluable skill, making a battle look like anything they want it to. The pokemon contests we compete in are not a place for narcisism. Even though you have quite a few narcisisstic personalities trying to make it as coordinators, they usually don't get too far.

"The point of a pokemon contest is to show off your partner's best traits! Show them why you want them on your team and everything that makes your relationship as pokemon and coordinator special. It doesn't even have to be a battle skill. Some of the most fulfilling pokemon appeals I've seen have shown off the pokemon's personality rather than its skills." Dawn smiled warmly. "Pokemon coordinators participate in pokemon contests with their pokemon. The contests consist of two stages, an appeals stage in which a coordinator earns points by showing off their pokemon's unique attributes, and the battle stage in which your mettle is tested on the battlefield by showing just how superior your pokemon is to the other person's. The combat round doesn't necessarily have to be about straight out fighting, if you can intimidate your opponent, trip them up, make them lose control, then you can win just as surely as if you'd attacked them directly."

Ash smirked. "Jesselina versus Harley was a prime example, though it was before your time Dawn. I saw it though, Jesselina had used her Wobbuffet, which is an entirely defensive pokemon, against Harley's Ariados, which is a spider pokemon. Well Jesselina tried to run out the timer by getting Harley to make the first move. You have to with Wobbuffet because it has ZERO offensive skills. Harley wouldn't move until the judges threatened them both with disqualification. Then he took his frustration out on Jesselina by using its silk to make Wobbuffet into a puppet and mock Jesselina. I thought she was going to run across the stage and strangle him for humiliating her."

"They do that?" Soul wondered. Far away Harley and Jessie sneezed.

"yeah, they do." Dawn sighed. "When you have pokemon coordinators in a large group in a room, there tends to be some premadonna like antics from some, stage fright from others, and still more calmly watching. You can always tell what sort of experience a coordinator has by how they act in the green room. The new ones gossip and twitter and their knees knock. I know /that/ feeling full well, my knees used to knock all the time. The experienced and serious ones wait on the sidelines and watch. And you can tell the narcissists, they preen and prance and are all 'look at me, i'm gonna wipe the floor with you cause my pokemon are better than you and i'm a /far/ better trainer.'" Dawn imitated Ursula almost perfectly. "Ursula, one of my rivals, used to bully me in between contests when Ash wasn't around. Like she thought I could be intimidated by /that./" Dawn sounded quite irritated. "Its words that hurt me, not sticks and stones."

Ash laughed. "Yeah well, you know how Jesselina can be, so jesselina versus Harley was pretty much a battle of the narcissistic pokemon coordinators. We're lucky it didn't end in a brawl."

Dawn rolled her eyes. "Anyway, when a pokemon coordinator wins a contest, they're awarded a ribbon." Dawn pulled out her ribbon case and flicked it open. "See? This is my contest pass and ribbon case, marking me as a member of the Pokemon Contest association. When a coordinator wins five ribbons in the same region, they can enter a once a year pokemon contest tournament called the grand festival. Its nerve wracking, its terrifying, I've fought in it. And I'm probably the first person to admit to being scared. But... I wasn't just scared I was thrilled! I knew my mom was watching me on TV back home. And that gave me strength, and when I believed in Piplup and my other pokemon, they rose to the occasion /marvelously./ We even beat Ursula for bullying us. And that, was worth it." Dawn smiled. "I had a sense of pride, and a sense of humility. I'd lost well and truly to the rival who mattered most to me after doing EVERYTHING I could to win. I felt like my soul would FLY from the joy bursting out of my chest." she hugged herself, shivering and eyes falling closed. "Piplup and I started together, and we ended the festival together. I regret nothing, including my losses, on the road there. And I lost to a GOOD woman." Dawn had this... serene smile on her face.

* * *

Shinigami-sama was recording and listening to the lesson during the meeting, and he looked over at Dawn when she talked about her experience at the grand festival. "hmmm." he chuckled slightly.

"Sir?" Azusa asked, she'd swapped places with Nygus and Sid, who were going to talk to the Watchtowers that Tiamat had brought with her.

"I'm listening to what Dawn is saying, the girl has a remarkable amount of serenity and self expression. Perhaps she'll inspire someone." Shinigami-sama sighed.

Tiamat sighed. "If I have to call all my elemental witches to help, I will do so. Mewtwo was more than willing to oblige me when he realized his world was in danger."

Shinigami-sama sighed, then listened as a voice came over the mirror. "Shinigami-sama, I need to speak to Tiamat-sama pronto."

"May I ask whom I'm addressing?" Shinigami-sama asked.

"Right, my name is Elesa, Tiamat's second in command, lightning witch and watchtower of the air. A witch and an immortal from your world attempted to enter the portal. They were stopped at the shrine." Elesa's tone was smug. "I left the witch in pretty nasty shape, broken collarbone and a dislocated shoulder. As for the immortal." She smirked. "he may as well be a dog not a wolf. All Fantina had to do was have her ghost pokemon use heal block on him, and then have me cut him to show that it stopped his immortal regeneration process. THAT made him grab his comrade and retreat."

"Are you sure?" Shinigami-sama asked.

"yes, I sent my Emolga to spy on them. It sent the whole thing back to me telepathically. They are working with a snake witch called Medusa. And there was a kisshin's egg named Dire Wolf present who appears to have some medical knowledge. Medusa traded intelligence with him for a vial of some kind of black fluid. And Dire wolf said he was going to get revenge on 'the shamaness' for killing someone named Montezuma by making her unclean." Elesa reported. "I think that means Iris right? I sensed her soul, it has a very wild feel to it that only nature shamen who haven't discovered their powers have."

"It does indeed." Shinigami-sama's face just fell, body language too. "Thank you Elesa, I'm going to call some people here to the meeting." He turned to Azusa. "Mobilize Spartoi, I am assigning them as body guards for our guests. We have received a credible threat against one of their souls. I will not stand for a foreigner being attacked or killed in /my/ city."

Azusa nodded. Shinigami-sama listened as Azusa's announcement came on the PA system.

"Ash Ketchum, Gary Oak, Brock, Cilan, Dawn, Iris, Maka Albarn, Soul Evans, Death the Kid, Elizabeth and Patricia Thompson, Kilik Rung, Fire, Thunder, Kim Dheil, Jaqueline O. Lantern Dupre, Ox Ford, Havar D. Eclair, Blackstar, and Tsubaki, please report to the Death room."

* * *

1. It is said that the Aztecs founded Mexico city when they saw a snake being eaten by an eagle on a cactus by this lake.

2. I created Fantina's chant from the name Michelle de nostradame, the french name for Nostradamus, and by combining spiritomb and her element, "ghost." However, I picked spiritomb instead of the garb she wears, which is modeled after Misdreavous, because it was said that when Nostradamus' tomb was raided, he was found with a medal inscribed with the exact year his tomb would be raided in it. Therefore, I felt that spiritomb was a better theme for a nostradamus chant.

3. This chant translates into lightning, drum, storm, drum HA

4. Xiabalba is the Mayan underworld.

5. Direct reference to the japanese sub, in which nobody uses the term "pokemon."

6. I watched so much subtitled pokemon, that I almost called Oshawott by its Japanese name here, Mijumaru.


	5. Chapter 5

"I'll get together a group for a preemptive assault." Akane assured Shinigami-sama as he turned to leave. He passed Spartoi coming in. "good day, Kiddo-sama, Soru-sama." It was rather a curt greeting. Akane was grinding his teeth as he left.

"Sir... what's this all about?" Soul asked as they walked up to the podium.

"A credible threat I'm afraid." Elesa said from the mirror. "hey there Ash. Hope you're liking Shibusen alright! And for those of you who don't know me, I'm Elesa, the Lightning Witch and leader of the Nimbasa City Gym. Emolga, can you please replay for us what you saw?"

"Emo emo!" Her emolga hopped up to the mirror and concentrated while Elesa chanted. "Raiko taiko arashi taiko." Her eyes closed meditatively. "eeeemooooo..." Emolga began to glow, closing her eyes and concentrating. "Raiko taiko arashi..." The footage of what Emolga had seen came up.

Everyone watched in silence. Then Maka sputtered in absolute RAGE. "That... BITCH... and how the hell did you beat Eruka and Free so badly?"

"I'm a close in fighter, I asked for Fantina's assistance as she's ranged. I occupy Eruka's front with my speed and lightning attacks, which she was too slow to keep up with, and Fantina shoots at her rear. Our orders were to keep all witches from YOUR world out." Elesa sighed. "Good thing I had emolga follow them."

"So they're going to attack the portal as revenge?" Ash asked.

"its worse than that." Kid replied. "They're going to try to infect Iris with the black blood."

"If that happens, the portal won't let her go home. She'd be trapped here. A magic user, be they a witch or a shaman, who is infected with the madness and has an active infection would not be allowed to go through the portal. I can't even send Stein through because his own madness infection is well... advanced enough that it won't let him enter. Black blood is pure enough of a madness creating substance that the portal would most certainly block Iris if she were infected until it had been put into remission."

Iris wailed in panic. "Then I'd NEVER become a dragon master! Quick get me home I want to go hooooooooomeeee!" Iris sobbed. "I want Axew..."

"Who can't be moved for another 24 hours." Stein reminded her. "Are you going to leave your partner behind? I saw the lecture you were giving, pokemon trainers are as unlikely to abandon their partners as a meister would their weapon."

Iris just broke down in sobs, then she got quiet. "Excadrill, lets go add a wolf skin rug to our house in the village."

"Now see here!" Shinigami-sama protested. "You can't beat a kisshin of that level on your own! Dire wolf is no Asura, but he's the oldest, strongest, and nastiest member of the Chupa Cabra gang. He's older than Shibusen is as an organization! He's been on my list for over nine centuries."

"I don't care." iris said coldly.

"Yahoooo! I'll go on a wolf hunt with you Iris!" Blackstar yelled. "I am the mighty Blackstar, the man who would surpass God! I'd be remiss in the proper use of my Bigness if I let you fight that wolf alone! Lets go get you that wolfskin rug!" He started bouncing up and down. "Shinigami-sama, let the mighty Blackstar take care of Iris!"

"I will go as well." Tiamat spoke up. "Iris, I am your elder, and part of being a witch is using your power wisely and well. It is something the Lost Ones have forgotten." She turned to Elesa. "I want you to put a Magic Screen on that portal. Do not allow Eruka or Free to enter."

"yes ma'am."

"There's no need madam Tiamat, I am as much a witch as I am a meister." Kim said with a smile. "And I can heal, please allow me to assist your Clan Kin."

"And adapt it to block out Medusa's soul signature." Shinigami-sama sighed. "Tiamat, I'd like you to go back and report. Maka, Soul, I want you to help guard the portal. Collect any Kisshin soul that approaches it. Ash, Gary, I want you to go with her. Gary you've become a weapon, you've been chosen as Ash's scythe by Azelf. I want you and Ash to observe another scythe meister pair."

"Yes! I get to eat some kisshins tonight!" Soul said happily.

"you're already a deathscythe, you shouldn't get greedy. Instead why don't we give any kisshins eggs we collect to Ash and Gary?"

"oh fine." Soul pouted.

* * *

"I don't know how to deal with this." Old fashioned black and white boots followed Medusa's bare feet towards the portal.

"Capture one, then return with it. Do not kill it." Medusa told him. "I want it alive for my experiments."

"Yes ma'am." Chrona muttered.

The transformed Mizune sister sighed. "Why do you want these things anyway?"

"You didn't see what they did to my familiar."

"No, I was trying to escape the ice being flung at me. I hate ruminent type familiars, they panic easily and they're irritating." Mizune sighed. "What do you want me to do?"

"Get five samples of plant life, then return. And act as Chrona's backup. Chrona, if you get hurt, call for the Mizune sisters, they'll come help you deal with it." Medusa smiled that fake smile of hers.

The sister nodded, splitting into the five mizunes and then shifting into mice. "Hai, Medusa-sama."

The Mizunes crept towards the portal in Chrona's wake. _/that fake smile... hurts./_ Chrona thought. _/I want a real mother... but my real mother will never and would never act nice./_

The Mizune sisters made it through, but Chrona was repelled. "ow..." Chrona blinked, rubbing the black blood from his/her nose as she collided with the portal. "Medusa-sama... how do I deal with this?" The Mizune sisters came back through, confused as to why Chrona hadn't come through behind them on the other side.

"you don't. Its programmed to Block large sources of Madness." Elesa was standing on the top of the temple. "My my my, Tiamat-sama was right, you /are/ persistant. Tiamat ordered us to fortify the portal, seems she was right, you're going to try to get in again. Even though I put that poor Frog Witch in the hospital you're still looking for more punishment." Elesa pouted, putting on this coquettish look and using a mocking whine. Her Zebstrika whinnied mockingly, stomping its foot and snorting steam.

Medusa's eyes narrowed to slits, a snake vector sparking from her mouth like a forked tongue. "Impudent BRAT."

"You are one of the Lost Ones, taken forcibly from the True Way of the Witch. You are not worth my contempt, and in every way worth my pity." Elesa bowed her head. "Nor are you worth fighting against. Tell Eruka I had fun." She pulled her hat down over her eyes. "Goodbye Medusa."

"Roserade!" "Roserade rose crusade, home of the green god Rose crusade... forgive me Eibon-sama." Stun spore filled the temple as Gardenia sprung her trap. "Grass type art, Rose Crusade War Barrier." Gardenia pulled her hat down over her eyes as she trapped them all inside.

As the barrier crashed down, Maka, Soul, Ash and Gary rode up. Maka caught sight of a familiar pink head being closed inside the barrier with Medusa and the Mizune witches. "CHRONAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Maka bellowed, leaping from the vehicle and hitting her head on the stems of Gardenia's barrier. "CHRONAAAAAAAAAAA! IM GOING TO COME SAVE YOU! CHRONA ANSWER ME PLEASE!" Maka hammered on the barrier, yelling at the top of her lungs, desperate to be heard.

Chrona's scream echoed from inside. It was a scream of utter spiritual agony. _Maka-chan... help me..._ It sounded like his child voice.

"I'M COMING CHRONA I'M NOT GONNA LET HER TAKE YOU! I'M NOT GONNA LET HER HURT YOU EVER AGAIN! I PROMISE CHRONA PLEASE SAY SOMETHING!" Maka was hysterical. Ash and Gary bowed their heads when they realized that this was someone Maka cared about. Her hands were raw, bleeding and bruised. There was a crack as Maka's fingers on her right hand broke from her desperate attempt to break into Gardenia's barrier.

_You can't help me deal with this... its never gonna stop... its never gonna stop as long as I live. Medusa isn't going to stop hurting me... unless I deal with her._

Medusa choked on the stun spore, it had taken out all the Mizune's, they were unconscious on the ground. Chrona was unaffected, the Black blood would attack and kill the stunning substance. But she had done her best to keep herself pure of Madness. She had no such immunity.

Chrona's scream echoed through the barrier. Spiritual agony. Then Elesa struck, a spiked heal sending Medusa flying. Undone by a Stunspore! Medusa snarled.

"VECTOR ARROW!" She aimed straight for Gardenia. If she knocked Gardenia unconscious or killed her, the barrier would fall and she could BREATHE!

CLANG. The arrow was deflected by Chrona's sword, and Medusa, lung capacity hampered by the stun spore coughed viciously.

Chrona stood there, this insane look in the hermaphrodite's eyes. The man/woman THING. This was an indignity.

"I'M COMING CHRONA I'M NOT GONNA LET HER TAKE YOU! I'M NOT GONNA LET HER HURT YOU EVER AGAIN! I PROMISE CHRONA PLEASE SAY SOMETHING!" Maka was hysterical, hammering on the barrier until her hands were bloody.

Medusa sneered.

"Maka-chan cannot help me... I have to help myself..." Chrona's expression was insane, her/his voice deathly still. "As long as you're alive, the hell inside my head is never going to stop."

Gardenia's eyes widened as she watched Chrona raise Ragnarok. She wasn't understanding what was happening.

"Why did you do it?" Chrona asked quietly. "You're my mother, you're supposed to take care of me... a real mother takes care of their child... a real mother protects their child... a real mother does not torture what comes from their womb."

"Because I could." Medusa said defiantly, vectors rising up around her to stab Chrona. "You are LESS than I am. The whole WORLD is less than I am! But YOU are a worthless piece of crap! you don't even have a proper GENDER! And now, I am going to kill you for your defiance and use your blood to infect the other two witches here, Maka, and anyone she's brought with her! You're going to die like the scum you ALL ARE!"

To Gardenia, it seemed to happen in slow motion. Chrona raised her sword, Medusa slashed out with her Vector. Chrona was ripped, bleeding profusely in rivulets of Black Blood. And Medusa's head went rolling across the temple floor. "Eibon forgive the bloodshed in your resting place." Gardenia bowed her head. "Arceus, please receive this Lost One to your breast." Gardenia lowered the barrier, the woody trunks and vines lowering to allow Maka in.

Chrona lost control, screaming uncontrollably like a banshee as the demon swordsman exorcised a lifetime of pain and suffering and slicing out, mutilating the corpse even as Medusa's body disintegrated. The resonance energy from Chrona's screaming whipped through the area. And it seemed as if the carved faces of Death and Eibon looked down on the scene in grief from the archway. Then Chrona stabbed the soul remaining behind into the ground, pinning it. "Ragnarok. Eat her."

"yuuum, giupipi." Ragnarok sucked Medusa's soul into his mouth, chewed, and swallowed.

"M... M... maka-chan..." Chrona fell over, the third arm flailing out to break the demon swordman's fall. "Help... help me... the clown... the black clown... get it out... please... it hurts..." Thud. Maka caught Chrona, realizing that the demon sword was covered in Medusa's blood.

"I'll call a relief team, Chrona needs you now." Soul said sharply.

Maka nodded, connecting her soul to Chrona's and entering the beach. "Chrona?"

The Black Clown hissed, its arms wrapped around a 5 year old Chrona in a vice grip. "WE have a covenant girl. You cannot break us."

Five year old Maka gave the black clown a raspberry. "Papa gave me something... you know I think it might come in handy." Maka grabbed Chrona's hand, slipping a ring around the index finger. "Its got a charm against madness so bad guys like you can't get Chrona ever again!" Maka walked up to the Black Clown, grabbed its arm, and twisted it painfully. "Thith ring's protection is my promise to protect Chrona ALWAYS! LET CHRONA GO YOU BATHTID!" Maka hammered angrily on the Black Clown with her special wavelength. "Chrona is MINE! I LOVE CHRONA! I won't let you take her! I LOVE YOU CHRONA! PLEASE COME BACK!" Maka yelled.

Chrona's eyes widened. "y... You mean it?"

"With all my soul." And then. "I LOVE YOU CHRONAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Maka screamed as she came out of the link.

The Black clown was there, it hissed. "I have a covenant with the child, for violating this, you will DIE!" It raised a liquid spiked hand that quickly hardened into a blade and brought it down.

Soul was too far away. "MAKAAAAAAA!" He yelled, trying to get to her. "PIKACHU! VOLT TACKLE!" Ash yelled. "PIKA!" Pikachu snarled, blasting towards the black clown. "Pika pika pika pika pika pika pika CHUUUUUUUUUU!"

**Do not bother.** A coooold, coooold, telepathic voice echoed through the shrine. Mewtwo stood on the top of the archway that marked the portal.

Around him, hundreds of ghost pokemon stood or floated wearing feathered headdresses, skull masks or eibon masks, scarves and crystal skull shaped jewelery.

"MEWTWO!" Ash cried in relief.

The Black clown was distracted, turning to look up at Mewtwo and figure out what these strange creatures were.

Suddenly it glowed pale blue. **You are an abomination. You have my pity.** Mewtwo grabbed the Black clown with psychic, the grip tightening on its chin like something out of a star wars movie, hauling it a safe distance away. There was a blast of pale blue light. A massive burst of soul wavelength. When it cleared, Mewtwo's figure was visible standing in the desert. He walked slowly back.

"Thank you Mewtwo." Ash told the psychic type quietly, he smiled warmly up at the cloned pokemon.

You're welcome. I've brought the Soul Walker Tribes. It took a long time to convince them, but they realized they had to protect the portal. Lord Death gave them a job to do. He knelt by Maka and Chrona. **You poor tortured soul.** Mewtwo said pityingly, his cloak billowing around his body. **I will offer you my blessing, prosper.** Chrona's wounds closed over and began to heal.

One of the Soul walkers walked over to Mewtwo, looping a copy of Death's old mask around the pokemon's head, along with a tassel of feathers. "Banette, ba banette, bane banette ette bane!" The pokemon beamed.

**You are saying that for saving this girl from the Clown, I get this?** Mewtwo asked.

"banette bay bay, banette, bane." The Banette replied.

"What's it saying."

**Banette says these treasures are given as a mark that I saved the Life of an Innocent either from Madness, being consumed, or from certain death. It is a mark of my courage.** Mewtwo turned the mask over and over in his hands, then hung it from his cloak. He attached the feathers by a length of cord to the same point he'd fastened the mask from, and they fluttered in the breeze behind him. Mewtwo turned to the Soul Walkers. **You will guard the portal?**

There was a nod of ascent to the four elders. "Gengar, gen gengar."

**Understood.** Mewtwo lifted off, flying towards Death City.

"Maka-chaaan. I'm so sleepy. I need to rest. Please sing me to sleep?" Chrona begged drowsily in Maka's arms.

Maka closed her eyes and started to sing softly. Soul smiled. The medics were on their way. He watched the way his Meister held Chrona like the demon swordsman was the most precious thing in the world. Tears streamed down her face as she held him/her tightly to her chest.

"_Nanimo te ni tsukanai shirokuro no hitomi de  
Watashiwa tada hitasura  
There is nothing I can do for you  
Ano toki no watashiwa nani ni kandoushite nani ni manzokushite  
Jibun wo rikaishitteitano?_

_Dokonimo ikanaide  
Please don't go anywhere_

_Ichi nen mae ni modoritai nante  
Nande imasara omoeru kana  
Ano koro no watashiwa kinou to onaji kyou nante  
Kangaenakatta  
_

_Mou koreijyou ikanaide  
Please don't go anymore_

_Me wo tsuburu to arukenaito wakatteitanoni  
Hitori tsubutteta  
Me wo sorasu to tsudzumenai to wakatteitanoni  
Hitori sorashiteta  
_

_Itsunomanika anata wo kizutuke  
Omoigakenai kotoba wo hasshiteita  
Amaenuki kizu tsukenuita watashiwa  
Kondo wa nani wo motomerukana  
_

_Dokonimo ikanaide  
Please don't go anywhere  
Mou koreijyou ikanaide  
Please don't go anymore_

_Mou kore ijyou arukenai  
Mou kore ijyou arukenai  
Mou kore ijyou arukenai watashiwa." _(1)

"I love you Chrona." Maka whispered as the Demon Swordsman fell asleep in her arms. "Please don't ever leave me again."

Soul turned to Ash and the others. "We should leave them alone. Lets give them some space."

* * *

Blackstar was about to leave with Iris, Tsubaki, Kim and Jackie, when Ox came running out. "MEDUSA'S DEAD! THEY FOUND CHRONA! MEDUSA'S DEAD!" Ox yelled in joy. He threw his arms around Kim and started jumping up and down in joy with her. "MEDUSA IS DEAD! SHE'S GONE KIM SHE'S GONE!"

"And Chrona?"

"Exhausted, but alive! Chrona turned on her! He killed her! That BITCH deserved it for what she did to him! Maka saved Chrona! Chrona was possessed by a clown!"

"ouch." Kim shuddered. "I hate those damn things."

"Clown?" Iris asked.

"They're vectors for spreading madness. They possess and fuse with people." Kim explained. "They're NASTY, even we have trouble dealing with them.

Iris shivered. "i hate normal clowns, I probably wouldn't be any help against one of /those./"

Kim chuckled. "its okay, lets go out with the departing troops and see if we can spot this Kisshin named Direwolf." They turned to go. "Arigatou Ox. I feel a lot better knowing Chrona is safe."

* * *

The medics trying to seperate Maka and Chrona had to deal with an emotionally hysterical Meister. Eventually Maka was allowed to ride in the emergency transport with Chrona. The Mizunes and medusa had managed to get some shots off on Elesa and Gardenia, so the two witches came along to be treated. But the Mizune sisters had mysteriously disappeared.

When the medics got there and tried to seperate Maka and Chrona again Maka burst into fresh sobs. "Please! I HAVE TO STAY!" Maka wailed. "Chrona I love you! CHRONAAAAA! Please! DONT GO! I LOVE YOU CHRONAAAAAA!"

Maka had to be held back by Spirit. "Maka... you can't. Stein needs to treat Chrona. Please. You can't go in you have to wait."

Maka just wailed into her mother's shirt. "I love Chrona papa, its not fair! Her mother drove her insane and she snapped its not FAIR what Medusa did to her!"

Spirit rocked his heart broken daughter in his arms. "I know... Maka-chan I know I know..."

* * *

The battle was joined. Akane and Clay and the meister weapon pairs they brought with them lit up the sky above the Mesa with attacks.

Suddenly there was a burst. The kisshin Akane had been about to strike disappeared. Standing where it had been was a purple and white, cat like creature. So this is a Kisshin. The creature mused.

The next one attacked, and was deflected by telekinetic ability. Come, Soul Walkers. Let us hunt!

Ghost pokemon simply appeared out of nowhere, dressed in scarves, death masks, and eibon masks. Crystal skull staffs and ornaments raised high.

And above them, several of the legendary pokemon of Sinnoh appeared, swooping down upon their prey.

"RETREAT!" a loud voice roared. "RETREAT!" They ran.

Mewtwo stood amid the carnage, the kisshin souls that had been slain. Then the pokemon took four steps and disappeared.

The ghost pokemon that he'd addressed as "Soul Walkers" descended, retreating to the shrine. Akane could see soft sparkles of soul energy as suddenly a barrier went up over the shrine. They would not budge.

"The hell?"

* * *

"How is she?" Maka demanded as Stein came out of the OR, Maka's eyes were red from crying.

"Severe wavelength depletion, and having the black clown inside damaged some of Chrona's skeletal structure. It will take years of rehab, and at least a year before she can walk without a wheel chair. Chrona wouldn't have been able to stand up if the clown were removed without hardening the black blood, and will likely be in extreme pain. But Maka, there's something else."

"What, what is it?"

"Chrona.. Chrona's neither a girl or a boy."

"What?" Maka demanded. "I want to SEE her!"

"Chrona's a hermaphrodite Maka. I had to do a full exam to see the extent of the damage Medusa did because I'm not sure if this is something artificially induced or natural. And there's some signs of serious sexual assault too. Medusa probably..."

Maka screamed in rage, planting an encyclopedia brittanica (volume S) in Stein's skull and storming into the hospital room. Stein cracked his neck to recover and twisted his screw a little. "Are are, that girl's got a worse temper than Kami."

Chrona looked so frail under the sheets. Maka just sat there sobbing. Not only had Medusa experimented on Chrona? She'd assaulted her too? Chrona wasn't even a her? But Chrona's soul felt so... feminine...

Soul came in. "I saw the evidence, Maka. Medusa molested and assaulted Chrona. And right now her skeleton is so frail she may need a wheel chair."

"you think Chrona's a girl too?"

"spiritually I do. She always felt female to me." Soul chuckled. "Besides, remember what we said when we hunted Blair, what she repeated so glibly back to us?"

"yeah..." Maka rubbed her eyes. "Look, Soul we're supposed to tutor Ash and Gary. Can you do it? I don't want to leave Chrona."

"Okay, I'll tell Stein you're not in very good shape at the moment. He'll understand." Soul left.

"I'm... home..." Chrona muttered in her sleep. "I'm home... to stay."

Maka took Chrona's hand. "Yes Chrona, you are..." She closed her eyes, connecting their souls again.

When she entered the beach, Maka smiled. There was a forest just starting to grow. Beautiful black and pink roses covered the beach. And written in the sand was. "I love you Maka Albarn." Maka's hand flew to her mouth. And tears streamed down her cheeks. She crept through the roses, searching for Chrona.

And found her, asleep on a bed of palm fronds. "Chrona?"

Maka held Chrona tightly, appearing as she did when awake this time. She pulled the demon swordsman into her arms. "maka-chaaan."

"I will never leave you again. Chrona please wake up."

Maka's eyes opened at the same time as Chrona's did. Chrona hauled Maka onto the bed and cried into her shirt. Maka held Chrona close. "Maka-chan... I had to... I had to stop her. She was never gonna stop. She was just gonna keep hurting me and killing people." Chrona whimpered. "I wished so hard for you to come and save me."

"Chrona, I kept looking for you every day, and I never stopped. Not once. And every day you were gone I felt like I'd been stabbed in the heart." Maka said quietly.

"Maka-chan, I'm naked." Chrona blushed.

"Yeah, Stein had to examine you and repair some broken bones. The black clown weakened your skeleton. Looks like you're stuck in a wheel chair for a year or so." Maka sighed. "Chrona... Stein he found..."

"HE TOLD YOU?" Chrona shrieked, eyes shooting open wide.

"Chrona I don't care what your body looks like, your soul is what I fell in love with. If I ever lost you..." Maka sobbed. "I'd just DIE! I don't want you to ever go away again! Please promise me you won't ever leave?"

Chrona's arms wrapped around Maka. "I promise. Maka-chan?"

"Hmm?"

"Nobody can know, except people who do already u... u... unless I say its okay 'kay?"

"Mkay."

"you can know, and soul of course an Blackstar n' Tsubaki n' Kid n' Liz n' Patti n... I'm sorry I..." Chrona just cried into Maka's shoulder.

Maka gently kissed Chrona on the forehead.

Suddenly... "Axew?" Axew's eyes shot open. Axew shrieked, struggling in the ivs and choking on the respirator.

"Chrona I'll be right back."

"AXEEWWWWW!" Axew wailed, tangled up in the cords and tubse. "AXEW AX AX AX!"

Maka hurried to undo the Ivs and the breather. "Axew, its okay, your trainer just stepped out for some air okay? She'll be back this evening. You're in the hospital."

"Axew? Ax axew." Axew whimpered.

"Yeah, I know it must have hurt." Maka said kindly. "You should get some rest okay? The doctor wanted you in bed for another day or so. I'll just be over here with Chrona."

"Pika pika!" Pikachu ran in to comfort Axew, hopping up on the bed.

"piplup!" Piplup followed.

"Axewwwww..." Axew sniffled.

The three pokemon hopped off the bed and climbed up into Maka and Chrona's bed. "Pika." "Lup!" "Ax..." Axew curled up against Maka.

Pikachu cheek rubbed Chrona with a sparking cheek in greeting. "Piiiika."

Chrona blinked at the affection. "Who're you?"

"Pikachu." "piplup!" "Axew." The three pokemon answered.

"They belong to visiting summoners. But it looks like Pikachu thought you needed a hug."

"Pika!" Pikachu nodded, curling into a ball in Chrona's lap with a big smile.

Chrona got this small smile, and she and Maka snuggled together. "Maka-chan... I know I have male body parts too, but I feel more like a girl than a boy. I mean sometimes I feel more like a boy, but most of the time I feel more like a girl than a boy."

"Piplup?" Piplup snuggled up to Maka, puffing out his chest and looking macho. "Pip pip!"

"Axew, ax ax ax ax ax." Axew laughed, then went into a coughing fit and doubled over in pain. "Axxewwww."

"Piplup pip!" Piplup told Axew. The pokemon patted Axew on the back.

"Pikachuuuuu!" Pikachu said cheerfully.

"I wish I knew what they were saying." Maka sighed.

"You can't understand them?" Chrona asked.

"Can you?"

"Perfectly. The penguin, Piplup, thought it was strange I felt so bad about not having a set gender, he knew plenty of other pokemon who didn't. Then he said he was all male and he knew it. But that he was a flexible bird. Axew laughed, then started to cough and said "ow, my lungs are burning." Then Piplup told Axew that he still hadn't recovered fully and should rest. And Pikachu said "no need to worry, Iris will be back tonight." Iris, thats the dragon familiar's master isn't it?"

"Mistress, and yes, she left on a mission with Blackstar."

"What for?" Chrona asked, cuddling with Maka and the pokemon.

"eh, a Kisshin named Dire Wolf threatened to infect Iris with black blood. If Iris has an active madness infection she can't go in the portal to get home, she could go if the madness subsided, but not if she was actively insane. Which means she'd be stuck here. She, Blackstar and Kim have gone to collect its soul before it gets her."

"How horrible!" Chrona's hands tightened on Maka's sweater. "Will Axew's mistress be alright? And is that why I couldn't get in?"

"Mhm, I'll probably have to use the anti demon wavelength on you before we go through, if we try again." Maka said quietly.

"Hey..." Ash came in with a smile. "Maka-chan, Gary and I came with gifts for the invalid. And I've asked Pikachu and Piplup to keep an eye on you two, so if you need anything use them as your messangers okay?"

Maka nodded. "Thanks Ash, what did you bring?"

Ash chuckled. "Brace yourself. We got you and Chrona each a pokemon and a pokemon egg to take care of." Gary set three eggs on the nearby bedside in incubators.

"you called me too?" Soul asked coming in. "So each of us gets to choose a pokemon and an egg?"

"Uhuh!" Ash grinned. "Come out everyone!"

"Snivy, snivy snivy."

"Tepig tep tep tepig!"

"Oshawott, Osha osh!"

Maka stared at the pokemon. "anooo, which one of you likes books?"

"Snivy!" Snivy jumped up into her lap. "Snivy snivy, snivy snivy."

"Better Maka-chan have that one." Chrona shuddered. "I don't think I could handle a snake familiar." She peered down at the two pokemon.

"Okay, now I want you guys to show me your coolest moves ever!" Soul told the Tepig and Oshawott, "Thats how I'll decide which of you I... hey!"

"Oshawott! Osha osha!" Oshawott fastened itself to Chrona. "Osshaaaa..." It snuggled into her chest and nuzzled her gently. "wott, osha osha!"

"I guess that leaves you and me huh?" Soul asked the Tepig. "How about it, think you can handle a cool partner like me?"

"Tepig tep!" Tepig nodded, hopping up onto Soul's shoulder.

"What is this thing anyway?" Chrona asked, picking up Oshawott under the arms.

"Its called a pokemon." Ash explained. "Shinigami-sama said your mother was really mean, so I figured something cute and cuddly to love would help you recover. Besides, I think that cuddling is Oshawott's way of telling you he thinks you need him."

"She." Chrona corrected. "And yes, she says you seem so lonely and in pain, let me help you."

"You can understand her already?" Ash asked.

"Hai... I don't know why." Chrona replied.

"I hope Iris is doing alright on her first mission." Gary sighed. "Soul got us up to soul resonance, but Ashy boy here did a typical uke and messed up on Witch hunter. What I found funnier was that when we resonated Ash got a boner..."

"GARY!" Ash turned purple in embarrassment and sputtered. "You don't need to tell them THAT! They're women! Its improper!" Ash yelled.

Gary laughed. "yes, but your face when I tell them that is sooo cute."

Ash sighed. "Iris hurry up on your mission and get HOME!" He whined. "Dawn can't keep my boyfriend's perverted sense of humor in cheeeeeck." Ash's blush was priceless.

* * *

"found him..." Kim swooped down on Jaqueline. "But he looked directly at me. He knows we're up here."

Blackstar nodded. "Positions." He said grimly. "Kim, go ahead of us and try to lure him into the gully." They'd tracked Dire wolf through the desert for miles from the site where Akane and Clay had broken up the Chupas encampment. The gathered troops were camped for the night around the shrine, preparing to leave in the morning for a further rout. It was still around the city, in fact the kisshin seemed to be circling it. They were standing on the edge of a large wash out, it was the perfect spot for an ambush.

Kim nodded and flew off. "Emolga, into the trees, when he comes, when I go, attack from the air. Excadrill, underground, go into the gully. When he's directly above you, attack. Leave no disturbed earth to mark your place." iris turned to Blackstar. "Excadrill's attack is our signal to attack him."

Blackstar nodded. "Okay."

Blackstar closed his eyes, clearing his mind. Iris did the same, unsheathing the knife she kept for the road as protection. "Rules of the Assassin number one." Iris said in a soft, perfectly calm voice. "Blend into the darkness, erase your breath."

Blackstar chuckled, taking his stance and focusing. He could feel the vibrations under his feet that meant the prey was coming. "Rules of the assassin number 2, transpositional thinking, know your target." Blackstar whispered with a knowing smirk at Iris.

The target moved into view, and Blackstar beamed hugely. Iris' hair blew back in a sudden gust of wind, blowing their scent away from the target. There was a light as Excadrill's focus blast powered up. They said as one, "Rules of the assassin number 3, before the target knows that you are there, strike!" Iris, Tsubaki and Blackstar chorused at once.

SWISH! "EMOOOOOOOOOLGAAAAAAAA!" Emolga roared angrily. It swept in with a discharge attack. Excadrill blasted up from below, using focus blast and then drill run so close on each other's heals that they seemed to be a single attack.

Blackstar and Iris lept from the bluff as one. Iris struck with her knife, slicing a deep gash across Dire Wolf's back. Blackstar got him in the chest.

"We have to destroy the Black blood vial!" Blackstar called to Iris.

"Yes."

"noooooooo..." Direwolf hissed as blood of black oozed down his wounds. "You won't." The wolf grinned, opening his mouth to reveal the syringe tucked inside it. "You know what they say about the bite of the wolf passing on its curse."

Dire Wolf charged Iris, ready to use a bite to inject Iris. "EXCADRILLLLLLLLLL!" Excadrill charged him ferociously with drill run.

Instead of hitting Iris, the syringe plunged into Excadrill's arm. "EXCA!" Excadrill screamed in agony. "EXCA EXCA EXCADRIILLLLLLLLLL!"

Dire wolf snapped up its prey, Excadrill dangling from his mouth by the arm. "mmmm." The wolf's tongue ran over the stuck syringe. "It hasn't fully injected yet. Perhaps I should save half for the little girl.

"Excadriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiillll!" Iris yelled, tears of rage flowing from her eyes. "I... I'll... I'LL KILL YOU!" Iris yelled. Her eyes changed, rippling with energy.

Direwolf shook Excadrill by the arm. Excadrill screamed in a way Iris would hear forever after in her nightmares.

Iris started to puff herself up, her body glowing. "I hate you. I HATE you, I HATE YOU! DIEEEE!" Iris' hands transformed into dragon like blades of metal. "I'm going to TORTURE YOU TO DEATH!" Iris yelled, violently striking and slashing at the wolf. Her body was covered in the wolf's blood. Rivulets of black on the sunbaked skin. Iris' stood there, in the darkening light, Her right and left hands were covered in some kind of long sword.

Blackstar struggled to come up with a name.

"iris..." Tsubaki breathed. "She's a weapon, a Pata... they were used by Indian nobles called Rajput." (2)

"Excaaaa..." Excadrill moaned weakly in pain, rolling over to look at Iris, even though doing so only made his wounded arm worse.

"emooooo..." Iris' Emolga breathed.

Iris' eyes glowed red and slitted, like a dragon type pokemon's. She turned and raised her head in a roar. "I will... I will... I WILL KILL YOU!" Iris' body glowed just like the dragon type move outrage. "you hurt... my FRIEND! I'LL KILL YOU!" Iris slashed out with her new blade, slice, slice, slice. Iris was covered in Black Kisshin blood, running in rivulets against dark navy hair and sun baked skin.

"Die shamaness! FOR THE HONOR OF THE AZTECS!" Dire Wolf roared.

Swish, spluch. Iris impaled the wolf kisshin through his throat, then ripped. Black splattered everywhere. In her rage Iris ripped the body to pieces, and the wolf...

… the wolf disappeared in a flash of black light and a soft smile of. "It seems, the black blood was not needed. You are already more of a monster than I. You should leave the human path shamaness, the cloak of kisshin hood suits you so beautifully."

Iris SCREAMED, grabbing at the Kisshin's egg soul and trying to tear it apart.

"Iris its okay!" Blackstar tried to get to Iris, but Iris swiped at him. "WOAH!"

Blackstar had to use trapstar to restrain her. The rescue crew was short handed, so Brock brought Chansey along. "Iris!"

"I don't know what's wrong with her!" Blackstar pleaded as Brock slid down the bluff to meet him.

The medics tried to get in, but Iris hissed and snarled. She'd shoved the Kisshin's egg soul into her hair in her outrage, refusing to let anyone near it.

Brock sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Are are, I'm never going to get used to black hair with yellow stripes." Iris seemed to calm when he came near. Brock turned to the medics. "Keep back, you're scaring her."

Brock knelt by Excadrill, assessing the pokemon's condition. Chansey started a heal pulse technique, carefully working it over Excadrill to stabilize him. "Arigatou, chansey." He pulled out a small pen light, and shone it briefly in Iris' eyes, one by one. "Blackstar, she went like this after Excadrill was hurt?"

"yeah, she was screaming "I'll kill you." And her arms turned into blades. If I hadn't restrained her she'd have gone on destroying things. She won't talk to me or listen to anything I say."

"Try comforting her."

"Excuse me?"

"This looks for all the world like Outrage, which is a Dragon technique in which the user goes berserk out of rage. You can calm a dragon pokemon out of "outrage." But you have to be calm and caring. Don't undo Tsubaki, just hug her."

Blackstar hesitated, then he wrapped his arms around Iris and said quietly. "I'm sorry, I know it hurts." He said quietly. Iris' struggling started to get weaker, her cries of rage slower. "I can't say "Its going to be alright." It won't change the fact that you were threatened, that your friend was hurt, or that you're so very far from home and you want to go home and you can't. It doesn't change that your best friends have changed and your world isn't the way it was to you." Blackstar had tears running down his cheeks. "I'm sorry I wasn't a big enough man to spare you this agony but I'm going to get bigger! And the tears running down my cheeks right now are because I hear your fear, anguish and hurt! And I'm here... and I'm listening! SO PLEASE CALM DOWN AND FOLLOW ORE-SAMA'S LIGHT!" Blackstar yelled.

BAM! Iris slapped Blackstar, "no need to shout you idiot!" Tsubaki fell around her ankles and changed back into a human. "you nearly burst my eardrum! But thank you." Iris hugged Blackstar in gratitude. "I'm glad you calmed me down." Iris chuckled nervously. "No wonder I never liked the cold. I'm not a dragon type pokemon I'm a dragon type weapon!" She giggled as she looked at her arms. "um... how do I change these back?"

"Focus on your human arms." Tsubaki told her. The dragon shaped guantlet guard of the Pata and its 41 inch blade changed into a hand again. Then iris' other hand changed back.

Iris moved to Excadrill. "Excadrill?"

"Excaaaa..." Excadrill moaned in pain, but his expression was relieved.

"its okay, Brock and doctor Stein are going to take care of you okay?"

"let me." Kim closed her eyes, her hands glowing. "Pom pom tanuki pom poko pom..." Kim chanted, closing her eyes and concentrating.

Chansey squealed. "Chansey! Chansey chansey chansey!" Then she carefully started using heal pulse in concert with Kim's magic.

Kim suddenly sprouted tiny glowing Tanuki ears and a tanuki tail. "Pom pom tanuki pom poko poooooom..."

The medics smiled. "Alright! Kim will take care of it!" They beamed.

Kim smiled, pulling back as Excadrill blinked, suddenly as good as new, his energy completely restored. "EXCA!" Excadrill joyfully hugged Kim and bounced up and down holding her hands.

"you're welcome." Kim chuckled, slightly ruffled by the show of joy.

Iris hugged Excadrill. "Exca..." Excadrill smiled happily.

"I'm so glad you're okay. I saw what that monster did... and it hurt so bad. I wanted to kill him SO bad."

"Exca." Excadrill pulled out the kisshin's egg from Iris' hair.

"Thats right, you're a weapon, you can eat Kisshins eggs without being hurt now. Go ahead Iris. You collected your first soul, you deserve to keep it." Tsubaki said with a grin.

"Wait what?" Iris blinked down at the kisshin's egg soul in her hands. "I /eat/ this thing?" She looked about to freak out. "But Axew ate one and got sick!"

"Axew's a pokemon, weapons eat kisshin souls all the time." Tsubaki beamed.

"but how, do I chew it? I mean..." Iris was clueless, and Tsubaki giggled, thinking it cute. "It looks big enough I'd choke!"

"your throat will fit it, don't worry." Tsubaki chuckled, gently coaxing Iris into eating the Kisshin's egg.

Iris hesitated, then... "aaaaaaaaah." She tilted her head back and tried to fit the kisshin's egg in. Iris thought she couldn't. Her mouth was rather small. But Iris felt the kisshin soul /squish/ as she pushed it in. And then she gagged, having to spit it out. "God damnit!" Iris coughed. "My mouth is too small!"

"keep trying."

"For now, we should get you back to the castle."

"Why?"

"You're covered in Kisshin blood miss, you could get contaminated if it gets into a cut, we need to get you washed off."

"Besides, do you /really/ want that to dry on your clothes?" Brock laughed.

"eeeh, its kind of stupid, but I didn't notice."

On the way home, Iris kept trying to get her mouth around the kisshin soul she'd caught. And she couldn't do it. Her gag reflex messed up once, her tongue made it impossible the next. Finally she gave up.

Two hours later, while Stein examined Excadrill, Spartoi gathered around, along with Ash, Gary, Brock, Cilan and Dawn while Iris kept trying to eat her first collected kisshin soul. Everyone was offering advice, some of it rather useless. And everyone was encouraging her to keep trying, eager to watch a new weapon with her first kisshin's egg soul.

Soul was chuckling. "You obviously haven't done oral sex before."

"And you HAVE?" Maka demanded.

"I practiced on a Banana."

"WHEN?" Maka demanded angrily. "WHEN did you do something so LEWD!"

"So you wanted to watch, I thought Chrona was the only one you ever loved."

"NO, its not that!" Maka snorted. "Its just that you choking on a banana would have been entertaining. Besides, I'd suck Chrona if she'd let me."

"I didn't /choke/ Maka." Soul smirked. "Hey Blackstar, maybe we should get some practical experience." he teased with an absolutely devious grin.

Kid's face was gradually going red, and thats why Soul was continuing with the sex jokes and the teasing of Blackstar as he watched Kid turn redder and redder. Blackstar laughed. "Even though your throat is flexible Soul, I'm too big a man for you to handle!"

"oh yeah, take it out and we'll see. Cause I doubt you can beat me for size." Soul smirked.

Kid was slowly turning purple.

"Kiddo-kun?" Patti questioned.

"Nothing!" Kid squeaked. "Aherm nothing. Its just embarassing hearing Soul and Blackstar trying to figure out who has the biggest dick. When we both know that the biggest dick isn't their actual cock, its their heads."

"oh BURN!" Kilik laughed. "HA! Soul kid totally burned you!"

Iris yelled. "NONE OF THIS IS HELPING!"

"Look, you have to surpress the gag reflex." Soul told her.

"HOW?"

"You keep thinking of it as a foreign object rather than food." Patti explained. "Lick it, smell it a little, try to get your stomach to growl. When your stomach growls you know you've got it!"

Iris licked the Kisshin soul. "Axew?" Axew asked. "nothing yet." She sniffed it.

"Gum it if its not working."

When Iris treated the kisshin's egg, as abused as it was by now with all her attempts to swallow it, like a piece of candy, her stomach started to growl. "There you go!" Patti said happily. "You got your weapon instincts to kick in. Now your mouth should be able to fit it."

Iris took a deep breath, tilted her head back, and just let the Kisshin's egg soul slide down her throat, a final tail of red disappearing between her lips. Then she swallowed. Iris's body pulsed softly with energy.

"Just like that!" Patti bopped Soul gently on the head. "Your explanation didn't take instinct into account."

"A few months before Kid found us." Liz said quietly. "A pair of kisshins eggs attacked me and Patti. We killed them pretty easily, and we were really hungry. Patti had heard weapons could eat them, so she wanted to try. But she couldn't get it to fit in her mouth without choking. Chewing didn't work because it wouldn't squish or break! Patti's molars didn't even grind it. But she was hungry and we didn't have any food, so she pretty much treated it like a baby bottle that night, sucking on it trying to pacefy her stomach. And at some point there was this audible growl and she was able to fit it in. She was drooling quite a bit after that though. Kid later explained that our instincts as weapons have to kick in before we can first swallow a kisshin's egg."

"How was it Iris?" Gary asked, he'd changed into a scythe, and gotten the hang of meeting Ash's wavelength, but he'd yet to collect his first soul.

"Real rubbery. Liz was right, I could chew for hours and that thing wouldn't masticate properly. No wonder Axew couldn't spit it out." Iris sighed. "I need some water."

"Pikachu, Umbreon, I need to do some scans of you. And Ash, Dawn, Brock, I need to do the same to you. I have to make sure your new bodies are healthy. And Kid, I'm going to need you for a baseline. You're closest to them in age and in Ash's case you're the same size and build. After that, Gary, Iris, I'm going to need to give you both a checkup. We'll see about finding someone from Shibusen to go with you to help you train. I'd be even more satisfied if either Dawn or Brock could lift Iris, or Cilan if he chooses to take a shot."

"No way in hell am I letting Cilan be my Meister! He called my instincts for weather a bone mutation and he didn't believe me when I said there were spirits about even though every time I said that there were GHOST pokemon concealing themselves in the immediate area! He refuses to accept that I had a sixth sense ALL ALONG!" Iris yelled, pointing an accusing finger at cilan. "There's no way I'd let my soul resonate with someone THAT spiritually DEAD!"

"I'm sorry Iris, you were right, there are such things as ghosts, curses and evil spirits and there are such things as sixth senses." Cilan's face twitched.

"Not good enough. You really hurt my feelings and I'm never letting you be my Meister because when you do tasting time you get totally freaky WEIRD!"

"Tasting time?" Maka asked. Chrona hadn't spoken through all of this, though there was a sad smile on her face. Chrona just snuggled up with Maka, Snivy and Oshawott.

"When we got communications up between the portals, Professor Oak transmitted a baseline for Pikachu and Umbreon's bodies the way they should have been." Stein explained. "When I scanned them and compared the cellular baseline, I found that Pikachu and Umbreon both had mutations that weren't in their baseline genetic code and cellular structures that were abnormal both for their personal baseline and their species."

"hmmm?" Ash leaned over Stein's shoulder to look. "Pikachu, you feeling any different?"

"Pika! Chuuuu!" Pikachu said fiercely.

"Ash, I need to sequence your DNA. I have a hunch. When I asked Kid about the night you changed, he said that Pikachu and Umbreon were clinging to you right? There have been cases before where genes have mutated because of exposure to a massive soul wavelength. The thing is, it takes power at /least/ as strong as Shinigami-sama to do it."

"You mean I could be as strong as the big guy?"

"Not yet, the lines of Sanzu in your hair..." Kid pointed. "They're seals, you have to mature enough to connect them permanently to access that kind of power. The only way the seal would come undone temporarily is if you were in serious distress. Its a survival mechanism. All it is is a sign that your power could mature that high as the centuries go on."

"Centuries." Ash mumbled.

"Ash?" Dawn asked.

"I miss my mom." Ash said quietly.

"yeah, I do too. I mean... ma will grow old and die!" Dawn whimpered. "And I'll still be a kid!"

"Well, if its any consolation, I think the genes for Shinigami constitution got grafted into Pikachu and Umbreon." Stein told Ash. "Given that Iris changed after Dawn touched her with the light, not immediately after but soon after, I have a theory."

"Theory?"

"Okay its like this. The transformation happened when you were near Gary right? And Gary turned out to be your weapon. Well, Dawn transformed and then touched Iris with her light, which caused her soul to change. A person can be a nature shaman and a weapon. So what if Dawn subconsciously chose Iris as her weapon and Mesprit made it happen?"

"So you're saying I'm a weapon because Azelf knew Ash cared about me?" Gary asked.

"Yeah, my guess is that whoever's closest to Brock will be next to transform." Stein sighed. "This is very intreaguing."

Ash frowned. "When Azelf appeared in my dreams to transform me, I told him I didn't want to live without Pikachu with me." Ash said quietly. He moved quietly to Pikachu's side and pulled the pokemon into his arms.

"I need to do a DNA test on Gary immediately. I think you might have accidentally given your weapon the gene for a shinigami constitution. It would make him a hybrid weapon. Unique with unique health needs."

Gary instantly held out his arm. "I want a copy of everything you've found. For Pikachu and Umbreon I want two copies. I'm a scientist too, even if I'm only in training. I know the same amount of genetics as a PHD grad, this is my future you're studying, and I am sooooo curious." He looked Stein straight in the eyes. "I want to learn everything about this new world. It was created by pokemon. The discovery that Arceus can take a dead soul and turn it into a whole new world would revolutionize the way people on my world think of their place in it. Who knows, maybe the time space pokemon really made both worlds, and they won't tell us we have to find out on our own."

"Alright, since you're so passionate about research. How about we make a trade. All my data for all of yours. I'm curious about your world too, but currently my madness infection is active. I can't traverse the portal until it goes into remission."

"You have this madness thing?" Iris asked.

"yeah, I was actually pretty sympathetic, and angry, when Dire Wolf wanted to spread it."

Kid sighed. "Blackstar and I were both infected during a battle awhile ago, but our infections went into remission. But Soul and Stein both have active madness infections they have to fight against."

Chrona winced. "I... I'm sorry... I wouldn't... I wouldn't have wanted you to experience that." Maka hugged Chrona tighter.

"Maka-san, you really love Chrona don't you?" Dawn asked, she looked a little disappointed.

"mmmhmmm..." Maka nodded. "Speaking of which, where's Ragnarok?"

"Sleeping. He's bored because I can't get out of bed on my own." Chrona told her."I can't sit up for more than a few minutes without hardening the black blood, and Ragnarok has to be awake for that."

"I see." Maka said quietly.

"dude, I can't believe you killed Medusa. Good on you." Blackstar said with a smile. "you showed that bitch what the consequences of abusing her children are." He thumped Chrona on the shoulder. "And Maka, I'm glad she's back. You weren't the same without Chrona."

Dawn blushed. "I did kinda feel like you were missing someone. You acted like a big sister when I was just transformed. But I couldn't put my finger on it and I didn't want to pry."

Soul chuckled, turning to leave the room. "Soul where are you going?" Blackstar asked.

"To hang with mamoswine. Shinigami-sama had a place built for him to sleep in the castle. Later."

"S... soruuuu, matteeeee!" Blackstar yelled, hurrying after him. "I want to hang with Mamoswine too!"

Stein laughed. "They aren't the only male students that seem to have developed an attachment to Mamoswine. He's got quite a fan following. I think taking out Medusa's familiar like he did boosted his popularity! The male football team even wants to make him their mascot!" Stein laughed.

"WHAT?"

Outside Mamoswine was hunkered down with fruit brought to him by the male students. And several of them were hanging around, drinking sodas, laughing and telling typical male jokes, talking about girls and school, and even a few were talking about guys! And Soul just sorta happily sat back against Mamoswine. "hey there, I brought my friend Blackstar to meet you. Looks like you have a fandom here."

"Mamoooo!" Mamoswine snuffled Blackstar, nuzzling him with a large, cold nose.

Inside, the girls nervously waited for the results of the body scans between Dawn, Brock, Ash and Kid. DNA samples had been taken from Iris and Gary.

"Hmm, interesting, Ash and Kid share some anatomy Brock doesn't."

"Where?" Gary asked as he and Cilan peered over Stein's shoulder at the scans.

Stein grinned, taking a dry erase marker and circling three spots on the three different scan screens. "here, Ash and Kid both have /this./"

"the hell?"

"A single ovary and a womb. It will require a C section at the very end but..."

"They can have CHILDREN."

"So you found it." A tall, lanky tanskinned man with three full lines of Sanzu on his head and ringed golden eyes like Kid's entered the room and leaned over the screen. "Still, I didn't think Kid would inherit /that/ mutation, nor that Ash would emerge with it."

"Hey there sir, mind explaining?" Stein asked cheerfully.

"Sir?" Cilan blinked.

"You can't sense it?" Gary asked. "Thats Shinigami-sama! What he looks like under that strange outfit."

"Its not an outfit, its a transformation. Witches transform, why not us? Its only opened up when the lines of Sanzu are completed. I remember why I don't go back to using this form though, I've been in that flexible form so long my bones are stiff." Shinigami-sama's voice was different, and his bones cracked as he rolled his head around on his neck. "Please, let me break the news to Kid." Shinigami-sama said quietly. "He's my son, and I should have had this talk with him a long time ago."

"Alright." Stein grinned. "C'mon, Gary, Iris, you're next."

As soon as Kid was out of the scanner, he looked up. And blinked in surprise. His father had changed into human form again, something Kid hadn't seen him do since he was five. "Kid, you and I need to have a father/son chat." He had a copy of the MRI scan in his hand.

Ash stretched behind him, and as Gary walked past for his scan, the two of them exchanged a little kiss that made Kid's head turn as his father lead him out the door. Kid felt a little... twinge, in his chest of longing and another twinge of irritation.

Kid wanted, not a boyfriend, but he wanted SOMEONE. Male or female it didn't matter. Maka had gotten Chrona, why couldn't he? It was starting to make him miserable. A shinigami should not give themselves to such base instincts as lust, but surely wanting someone to love wasn't base or sinful? Look at Maka and Chrona. The two of them looked as if they were blissfully happy with each other. And Maka's loyalty to Chrona was an example to their peers.

"So..." They arrived in the Deathroom, Shinigami-sama locked the door to it with a sign "do not disturb" on the door, and made tea. Kid sat down and waited, and when he was taking a sip, Shinigami-sama said. "We never had a birds and bees talk did we?"

Kid /sprayed/ his tea and very nearly choked. "Ch... ch... Chichue?"

"its time we had a talk about Shinigami mating instincts."

* * *

1. In case you didn't recognize it, its "Daidai" by Chatmonchy. Its the sappy Bleach ending often attributed to Orihime being emo. In this case, its Maka begging Chrona to stay.

2. A pata is a gauntlet with a blade sword. It covers the wrist and part of the arm and the blade is really long. You can have two, or you can have one.


	6. Chapter 6

Part 6 – Song of the Refugees

Akane had managed to organize the wild and legendary pokemon, and the friends of Ash's that had followed Ash through the portal, into two groups along with his own troops. One for support and backup, one for the main crew.

He was quite surprised at some of the people who'd come through. The child, Max, seemed to easily be able to manage a Braviary twice his size. Or Volkner, who, while quiet, had an /intense/ demeanor and a passionate heart. Paul seemed rather cool. Bianca, while clumsy and ditsy, had a very kind personality making her a good supporting player.

And the wild pokemon. Several of them had flown /straight/ to the castle, circled it once, and then returned.

They'd caught several kisshins eggs trying to flee the city that were currently on the list, but none associated with the chupas. And it was perhaps the presence of the legends in the land they'd created so long ago that made them so fearful. One of them had actually fainted at the sight of Mewtwo.

Mewtwo stood beside him and Clay overlooking the camp. They'd occupied the former campsite of the Chupa gang with flying and dragon type pokemon. Beside Akane stood an enormous, grizzled and scarred Zoroark and a huge striped charizard. The girl named Misty who seemed to love water pokemon so much stood at Akane's side. "hey..." He reached up to rub Charizard and Zoroark's muzzles in turn. "Thank you."

Mewtwo seemed to almost smile as he looked over at the Meister and Weapon and their affection towards the pokemon. Akane rather reminded mewtwo of himself, quiet, listening to everything, and feeling things without ever saying them. "Mewtwo, Zoroark, Charizard, Misty, are you ready for a long night?" Akane asked quietly, his eyes turned, stars in them as he looked down at the temple, the camp, and the distant city.

The charizard rumbled affectionately, and Zoroark purred, quite happy to stand watch by Akane's side all night if they had to.

* * *

Death checked on goings on at the shrine and then sighed. Kid was quite uncomfortable. "listen... when Shinigami choose a mate, there are several instincts we don't have. Remember when you were a child, I told you that we stood guard over the cycle of life and death?"

Kid nodded slowly. His face was beat red and his hands shook around the teacup.

"We have two sides to our nature, a wrathful, vindictive side, and a loving, nurturing side. When we begin to come of age, the nurturing side comes forwards. And we feel a powerful need for companionship and to take care of people. The initial emergence of this instinct can be disorienting and powerful. I wanted to make sure you knew what was happening."

Kid nodded again. "Thank you. I was... I was starting to feel... and I was having these dreams."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"What's to talk about? I was having wet dreams about Soul and a few about Blackstar. I controlled my lust because I was confused and not sure if it was the encounter with Noah that did it. Maybe I'd been isolated from my friends so long that I was having these sorts of dreams to compensate. Except... I felt so... warm... so /protected./ When I saw Maka and Chrona, and Ash and Gary, I just felt... jealous. It wasn't that I was interested in any of them. It was that they had someone to give them that feeling of warmth and being cared for." Kid sighed. "Maybe I should ask Soul on a date. Some fooling around might work off this tension."

"Kid wait. There's something else you need to know." Shinigami-sama set a file down on the table, opening it to Kid's MRI scan. "There's a mutation that you inherited from your grandfather. And it emerged in Ash when he changed its..." He sighed, facepalming as he tried to figure out how to say this to his son. "There's something I need to tell you."

"Chichue?" Kid walked closer to his father, putting a worried hand on his shoulder.

Shinigami-sama took a deep breath. "I was born from the union between two male shinigami."

Kid fell over. "WHAT?" he demanded. "Then me, what about..."

Shinigami-sama shook his head. "No, I have wedding photos and your mothers ring, birth and death certificates to prove you came from her." he chuckled a bit at that. "But your grandfather had the ability to bear children like a woman. And the MRI today showed that you inherited that from him."

"THE FUCK?" Kid snatched up the MRI, realized what it was he was looking at on his scan, and fell over, looking up at his father with /enormously/ round eyes.

Shinigami-sama smiled down at Kid. "Its okay, you should be careful thats all." He told him. "i'm not going to oppose you exploring your sexuality. Or your doing so with a guy. I just want to make sure that you don't get pregnant when you aren't ready. The Dispensary keeps condoms if you want to avoid the embarrassment of getting them at the store."

"Y... yeah... a... arigatou chichue."

It was his father's green light on him dating, and on him having sex with a guy as long as he was careful, that finally broke Kid's restraint. He pelted down to the infirmary.

Maka jumped a mile when he ran to the nearby cabinet. "Kid! What are you."

Kid stuffed a handful of condoms into his jacket pocket, "Later Maka!" He called, running back out.

"What the heck did he want condoms for?" Maka fumed. "You don't really think he's gonna... oh dear."

"like this Soul. Tepig, ember!" Ash called out.

Ash's tepig blasted ember at the target Patti had set up. Patti had pom poms in her hands like a cheer leader. And so did Buneary. Buneary was wearing her cheer leader's outfit. "Gimme an A, gimme an S, gimme an H, what's that spell? ASH!" Patti giggled. "Bun!" Buneary cheered.

"Soru..." Kid stopped near Soul, out of breath. "Can we talk somewhere in private?"

Soul nodded. "Sure." Then he called Tepig back into its pokeball. Kid found the spare room he used when he had to spend the night in the castle for whatever reason, pulled Soul inside and locked the door. "What's this about?"

"i..." Kid blushed, words completely escaping him as he stuttered. "Soru... I... I..." Then he blurted out. "Ai shiteru!" Then he pulled Soul down to kiss him. Soul blushed furiously, freezing for a moment. And then when Kid was about to pull away in embarrassment Soul hauled him in for a better kiss. Soul manuvered them so that Kid was flat on his back on the bed, thoroughly tasting the shinigami's mouth. Their tongues /twined/ in a release of pent up tension.

When they finally broke for air, Kid needed to catch his breath. Soul rested his head on Kid's chest. "Feel better?" He asked with a quirked brow and a dumb, shit eating grin.

"Y... you knew?" Kid demanded.

"I guessed." Soul chuckled. "But I tried everything I could to get you to say something, for the past three MONTHS. You didn't pick up on it, or you were too afraid to make a move... or something. So when I got frustrated about you not getting it, I left some /not/ so subtle hints, like boasting that I had a bigger dick than Blackstar just to make you jealous and want me more? Or that comment about my practicing oral with a banana?" Soul chuckled.

"you WHAT? That was for /me/?" Kid demanded. He propped himself up on his elbows.

"Yeah, then I wondered if maybe it was the scar on my chest. Or the fact that I didn't look symmetrical."

"Strange thing is, the more I think about how asymmetrical you look the more I get turned on." Kid blushed furiously. "I don't know why, for some reason my OCD does a complete 180 when it comes to who I want to have sex with."

Soul laughed. "So what finally made you change your mind?"

"eh... well its..." Kid sighed. "Chichue gave me the birds and bees talk, he said that my mating instincts as a shinigami had started to become active. And that I could..." Kid blushed. "Soul, I found out today that I can bear children like a woman." He blushed furiously, reaching up to kiss Soul. Soul could feel the neediness in Kid's body, the nervousness, the anxiety. The young shinigami's body was pliant beneath him, fitting against his like a glove. Soul wrapped his arms around the young shinigami, knowing he needed to be reassured.

"Then I'll be careful, did you get..." Kid smirked, pulling the condoms out of his breast pocket.

Soul chuckled, leaning down to nuzzle Kid gently. "We don't have to hurry you know."

"Yes... except I... I want..." Kid moaned, and Soul felt something hard poking into his stomach. He chuckled. And then Soul felt it, the full force of Kid's desire was carried on his wavelength. It brought chills down his spine and his member to full attention.

Soul groaned, sitting up and tossing his jacket and shirt aside before starting on his pants. He was just feeling /way/ too hot. The clothing was restrictive. Kid sat up, and started doing the same, not /caring/ that his clothes were lying at random on the floor. Oh sure, he'd probably go completely neurotic the next morning. But for now, there was /one/ thing that Kid wanted.

Soul smirked, pinning Kid to the bed and kissing him. Kid moaned into the kiss, hips bucking up into Soul's. Soul smirked, dipping down to take Kid's member in his mouth, slowly sucking the first couple of inches in. "SOUL!" Kid yelled, an exclamation of pleasure and surprise rather than anger. Soul rubbed his tongue on the underside of Kid's erection as he sucked, hollowing his cheeks with his effort.

Kid was alternately looking down at Soul and rolling his head back in pleasure. Soul caught sight of his toes curling and uncurling in sheer ecstasy. His hands were clenched in Soul's hair. Soul just had this stupid grin on his face. The look on Kid's face, the restraint completely undone was making his cock /throb./

And when Soul delicately licked the underside of the head Kid screamed in pleasure and came. Soul fastened his lips on the end of Kid's cock, taking every drop and swallowing it.

Kid lay there, panting. Soul smirked, opening one of the condoms. "Ready?" He asked, carefully rolling it on.

"YES!" Kid gasped, still panting.

Soul chuckled, rummaging through the drawers until he found a bottle of lotion. He slicked his member, then prodded Kid's entrance with a slick finger. "Okay, relax." He added a lick to Kid's flaccid member as he pressed a finger inside.

Kid squirmed, struggling with his reflex to tense around the finger. Then Soul started sucking on the tip of his member as a distraction and Kid squealed in pleasure. Soul snorted and managed to get the second finger in. His chuckling added extra vibration. "S... soru..." Kid gasped. His voice brokenly alternating between english and japanese.

Soul chuckled again, scissoring his fingers as he tried to stretch Kid enough that he wouldn't hurt him. And when he pulled his fingers out, Kid took a couple of deep breaths.

"Ready?" Soul positioned himself at Kid's entrance with this... lopsided grin that made Kid giddy.

Kid smirked, pulling Soul in for a kiss. "Do it damn you!" Kid growled.

Soul laughed, gently pushing inside. He took it slowly, kissing Kid as he did so, stroking his hair, until he was finally seated inside. Kid wrapped his arms around Soul's neck. Soul nuzzled him tenderly. "mmmmm..." Kid moaned, pressing his forehead to Soul's. Soul felt his heart pound, and suddenly their wavelengths were falling into each other.

Kid moaned as Soul began to thrust inside him. In his head Kid could almost see the orbs of their two souls spinning around each other in joy. Yet there was nothing frenzied about it. Soul made love the way he lived life, laid back, slow, and intense.

Then Soul hit the spot that every guy /loves/ to have hit. Kid howled in pleasure, his nails digging into Soul's back. Soul smirked, and lazily began to thrust into the spot. Kid's repeated passionate screams of Soul's name echoed through the still marble room. The slap of sweaty skin on skin, Soul's murmured praises of Kid's body, all this carried on the night air. Kid wrapped his legs around Soul's hips. Soul bent his head to the cool skin of Kid's neck, kissing the base of his throat. He was near his peak, but he sure as hell wasn't going over it without Kid. He sped up a bit, then he got an absolutely devious smile. "hey Kid, want to see if I can make the bruises symmetrical?"

"FUCK YES!" Kid yelled as he howled his release to the night. "Aaaah, Souuuuuuuuuuuuuuuulllllll!" He howled. A fountain of white splashing on his stomach. Soul grunted, thrusting in one last time before he spilled himself inside the condom. Kid did wish he could feel Soul's essence inside of him, but he had to finish his schooling. And then there was Asura to defeat. Kid didn't feel safe having children until they'd finally destroyed him. People needed the two of them.

Soul moved to pull out, but Kid clung to him a moment. So he waited, kissing the young shinigami on the forehead.

And then he heard something outside. Soul murmured a resassurence to his new lover and rose, tossing the condom in the trash and opening the window. It was friday night, and several of the weapons and meisters from the school, including several fellow members of spartoi, were practicing in the moonlit park beneath them.

And the sound he'd heard was Ash and Gary's voices raised in song, as one by one the trainers and fellow students joined in. Soul was surprised that Ox had such a good singing voice. Or that Kim joined in with him, weaving her clarion soprano with his. Soul looked down into the courtyard. "Kiddo, come look at this."

_Warm yourself by the fire, son,  
And the morning will come soon.  
I'll tell you stories of a better time,  
In a place that we once knew._

_Before we packed our bags_  
_And left all this behind us in the dust,_  
_We had a place that we could call home,_  
_And a life no one could touch._

_Don't hold me up now,_  
_I can stand my own ground,_  
_I don't need your help now,_  
_You will let me down, down, down!_

_Don't hold me up now,_  
_I can stand my own ground,_  
_I don't need your help now,_  
_You will let me down, down, down!_

_Down!_

Dawn was wielding Iris, and Ash was wielding Gary. Soul grinned. Ash had /finally/ gotten witch hunter right. Not bad for such a rush job. Pikachu and Umbreon wove a path of quick attack around their trainers as they practiced, not attacking, just experiencing the joy of movement in synch with each other. Excadrill couldn't quite manage the agility that Emolga could, but he was tapping his claws on a nearby rock to keep the rythmn.

Iris was appearantly a pair of patas, with Reshiram and Zekrom carved into them. The blades were enormous, and yet Dawn wielded them so seamlessly. Iris grinned. Suddenly Dawn began to glow as she and Iris began to initiate soul resonance. Their power drew itself inward, forming a glow in the pit of Dawn's stomach.

_We __are __the __angry __and __the __desperate,  
The __hungry, __and __the __cold,  
We __are __the __ones __who __kept __quiet,  
And __always __did __what __we __were __told._

_But_ _we've __been__ sweating __while __you __slept __so__ calm,  
In __the __safety __of__ your __home.  
We've __been __pulling __out __the __nails__ that __hold __up  
Everything __you've __known._

_Don't hold __me __up __now,  
I __can __stand __my __own __ground,  
I __don't __need __your __help __now,  
You __will __let __me__ down, __down, __down!_

Don't _hold __me__ up__ now,  
I__ can__ stand__ my__ own__ ground,  
I __don't __need__ your __help __now,  
You __will __let __me __down, __down, __down!_

Spirit had raised his voice along with the music as he and Stein watched over the practice, and even Marie was singing. Dawn tilted her head back, opening her mouth and a burst of blue energy came out. It shot into the air like a firework and burst, raining meteorite impacts around them. Ash quickly dodged, but he lost synch for soul resonance.

Iris giggled. "I'm a dragon type weapon alright! Only we should call that Soul Meteor instead of Draco Meteor."

"I like it." Dawn agreed.

Piplup was nearly hyperventilating. He'd been so sure that his own trainer's draco meteor was going to strike him down! DOOM WOULD SURELY FOLLOW! But nothing happened. Ash sprung through the clearing smoke from the attack, his witch hunter good and strong again.

_So __open __your __eyes __child,  
Let's __be __on__ our __way.  
Broken __windows __and __ashes  
Are __guiding __the __way._

Keep _quiet __no __longer,  
We'll __sing__ through__ the __day,  
Of __the __lives __that __we've __lost,  
And __the __lives __we've__ reclaimed._

Go! Don't _hold __me __up __now,  
I __can __stand __my __own __ground,  
I __don't __need __your __help now,  
You __will __let __me__ down, __down, __down!_

Don't _hold __me __up __now,  
I __can __stand __my __own__ ground,  
I __don't __need __your __help __now,  
You __will __let __me __down, __down, __down!_

Kid joined Soul at the window as they watched the scene. Flying pokemon and dragon pokemon circled the city, creating fireworks with their attacks and letting lose fierce, determined, joyful cries. Below this spectacle of aerial lights Cilan sat on a nearby railing looking really depressed. He looked up at the passing pokemon, holding his pansage and not getting any joy from it. "I think we should have a talk with Cilan in the morning."

"yeah."

Iris was trying again, and this time when she and Dawn raised their blade it extended and split. "SWEET! I CAN DO DRAGON CLAW!" Iris cried in delight. "Dragon claw, draco meteor, and outrage now!"

"Then lets use it to end this!" Dawn grinned. "Here I come Ash! On your GUARD!" Dawn charged with Iris' dragon claw raised. The two of them crossed in a slashing motion. Witch hunter on dragon claw.

And that was the moment a red headed girl came running into the park escorted by Elesa, at her side was a cat pokemon with a spring like tail. She was carrying a backpack and a notebook, and when she saw Dawn's practice with Iris she dropped both. "Dawn..."

"Lup! Piplup!" Piplup cried in delight.

The Meisters and weapons watching Dawn practice clapped. And Soul did the same from his vantage point at the window. He wasn't the only one leaning out. Maka was watching the practice from the Dispensary.

_Don't hold me up...  
(I don't need your help, I'll stand my ground)  
Don't hold me up...  
(I don't need your help)  
No! No! No!  
Don't hold me up!  
(I don't need your help, I'll stand my ground)  
Don't hold me up!  
(I don't need your help, I'll stand my ground)  
Don't let me down, down, down, down, down! _

Dawn rose from the end position she'd been in, and she turned to look at Zoey. There was utter silence as the song and applause ended. She took one look at Zoey and shrieked in delight and relief, letting Iris go and running over to throw her arms around Zoey and pull the champion coordinator into a kiss. "ZOEY!" Dawn started to cry. "I missed you so much!"

Zoey blinked, arms wrapping around Dawn and returning the kiss. "Dawn!" Zoey held her tightly. "ooooh, I was so worried about you when I heard what happened."

Dawn looked up at Spirit. "Spirit-sensei, is there any place me and Zoey can be alone?"

Spirit chuckled. "Why don't you go back up to the dispensary, there's a sleeping room off of it you can use."

"Thanks." Dawn smiled and lead Zoey back to the dispensary.

"Dawn!" Maka called. "I heard you found your Zoey!"

"Yeah, I did." Dawn wrapped her arm around Zoey's waist and leaned on her shoulder. "Zoey, these are Maka Albarn and Chrona Gorgon. Chrona's bedbound right now so Ash got her an Oshawott to keep her company. And Maka simply told the starters Ash brought that she wanted whichever one of them liked books, which turned out to be snivy."

"Its nice to meet you. I'm Zoey, a pokemon coordinator from Snowpoint City." Zoey sighed. "hey Dawn, tomorrow after lunch I'm gonna have to leave again. Misty and I are helping Akane rout the Chupa gang. We're departing at sundown and i'm going to need time to prepare. But I wanted to make sure you're alright." Zoey caressed her cheek. "you feel so cold."

"I have a lower core body temperature now." Dawn said quietly, she drooped. "Sometimes I forget I'm not human anymore."

"You're still the shy and beautiful Dawn that I met years ago." Zoey smiled. "Hey, maybe we should have a second birthday party for you each year. To celebrate the day you were reborn hmm?"

Maka beamed. "Now seeeeee! You should think more positively."

"M... Maka-chan anoooo..." Chrona stammered.

"Chrona?" Maka asked.

"C... c... can you read me a story?"

"I'll leave you two alone." Dawn smirked, heading into the sleeping room to talk to zoey.

"Hmmm, what kind of a story?"

"One with a happy ending, where the girl finds the love of her dreams." Dawn heard Chrona mumble sleepily as they closed the door.

"Lup!" Piplup happily cried as he hugged Glameow.

"Glameeeooow." Glameow was quite happy to see Piplup alive and well, rubbing and purring up against the penguin pokemon.

Dawn looked up at Zoey. "Seeing Maka with Chrona, it made me realize how much I love you, and how much I missed you. And how much I would have missed you if you were... suddenly gone forever... Zoey please stay safe tomorrow, and stay with me until I fall asleep. And leave early, if you... if you leave when I'm awake... I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO LET YOU GO!" Dawn sobbed into Zoey's shirt.

Zoey hesitated, then wrapped an arm around Dawn's waist and rubbed her back as she started to cry. Dawn sobbed, clinging to Zoey. Suddenly she felt it from Zoey's heart, her wavelength, cool and confident, calm and at the same time loving. Dawn felt her insecurity and anguish slowly dissolve away as she lost herself in the splendor of Zoey's soul.

Zoey carefully guided them to the bed. "Mkay, whatever you ask Dawn." Zoey bent down and kissed Dawn tenderly on the lips. Dawn sighed, leaning into the kiss, and then into Zoey's arms. It was comfortable, and Dawn felt so warm.

* * *

"Hey Cilan are you alright?" Brock asked as he chucked shirt for bed.

"Uh... yeah." Cilan lied.

Stein's words echoed in his head, _"__Yeah,__ my __guess __is __that __whoever's __closest __to __Brock __will__ be __next __to __transform.__" _

The night Brock turned into a shinigami, Cilan had been out cold and seriously hung over in the same sleeping bag, naked and flattened against Brock's broader figure. Cilan felt broad shouldered men pleasing. They could wrap him up in their arms and... the thought made him shiver. Something was hanging over his heart. Cold fear perhaps? The weight of self awareness? Cilan could feel something inside of him was different. It was... a very sad and bitter taste. One that he wanted to savor in silence. He pulled a picture of himself and his brothers out of his traveling pack, and a small book of recipes, and set them on the bedside table.

Cilan half expected Brock to simply roll over and go to sleep. They barely knew each other after all, they had a lot in common, so Cilan figured there was some basis for a relationship there.

As he lay down and clicked off the light, Cilan felt warm arms around his waist, strong and comforting and what was /exactly/ his taste in men. Cilan chuckled, though it had a bitter edge to it. "Its sleeping time." he whispered into Brock's chest with a smirk. "or should I change that to snuggle time?"

Brock chuckled. "G'night Cilan, sleep well." Brock took a deep breath full of Cilan's scent, he smelled of cooking herbs, even tonight when Brock had done most of the cooking. "mmmm, you always smell so good." Brock murmured softly.

Cilan was slowly fading into blissful sleep. Whatever he muttered in reply was lost into Brock's skin.

* * *

_"Are you afraid?" The voice called to Cilan in his dreams across the distance._

_"I don't know." Cilan replied._

_It loomed out of the darkness, a large white dragon. "At least you didn't lie."_

_Cilan squeaked. "R... r... reshiram-sama!"_

_"What is bothering you Cilan?"_

_"I feel different, and I know in my heart that I am next." Cilan said quietly._

_Reshiram seemed to smile at Cilan. "Is that so bad? You love exploration of any kind, and live to find the scientific, historical, and philosophical truths of life. You have a whole new world in front of you to explore and become a conisseur of. You are simply reduced back to the state of being a student rather than a teacher. How is this a reason to be sad?"_

_"Its not that." Cilan muttered._

_"Then what?" If Reshiram were human, Cilan thought he'd have his hands on his hips in annoyance._

_"I... its just that I feel different, and its a sad and bitter taste." Cilan said quietly._

_"It doesn't have to be." Reshiram's form faded. "There's more senses than taste you know."_

* * *

Cilan woke up in a cold sweat. He got up, and showered and dressed, and went for a walk. Brock woke up and found Cilan gone. Still not awake, a shinigami instinct not yet tapped into kicked in, and he started following what he didn't know at the time was Cilan's wavelength. Cilan had been depressed the night before. Brock wanted to make sure he was okay.

Cilan felt a sense of... waiting... as if the earth were holding its breath. A raw chill crept up his spine. Something was going to happen. In the next few minutes something was going to happen.

"Morning Cilan!" Soul was out for an early morning jog with Kid. The two of them were spending some time together before they went home to their respective partners.

"uh, hey!" Cilan yawned. "Sorry, just got up, needed some air."

"no worries, its saturday." Soul grinned. "We're gonna get some air ourselves and then check on Maka and Chrona."

Cilan nodded. "I'm going to have to get started on breakfast soon. Its so strange being in a new place, you never know where anything is." Cilan's thoughts had turned to what to make for breakfast. Cooking to Cilan represented safety and familiarity, it was a comfort gesture. It wasn't even the act of eating but the act of cooking that allayed his fears and vented his stress.

Suddenly the boom overhead broke him out of comfortable familiar safe thoughts of cooking. Cilan, Kid and Soul's heads snapped upwards. A fight had broken out in the air above the city, easily over a mile up. One of the Chupa's Kisshin eggs, one with the ability to fly, was circling overhead, embroiled in a bitter dogfight with Latios, Latias, and Darkrai. It was a bitter, angry, nasty clash between titans from two different worlds.

"Kid, get your father and have him send emergency crews. Azusa-san's range and eyesight may be useful." Cilan summoned Pansage. "PANSAGE! Fire solar beam at that kisshin up there! NOW!"

"Paaaaan..." Pansage powered up. Soul ran inside for Maka, Kid ran for Liz, Patti and any backup he could find. That particular kisshin's egg wasn't the strongest, but it was big enough to make a /huuuge/ mess.

Dragon pokemon were bellowing, flying pokemon shrieking. Mamoswine shot ice shards upwards from his bed in the courtyard. Landbound pokemon lept towards the skies trying to catch the monster attacking their legends. Their agitation woke any meister or weapon who didn't have the experience to block out other wavelengths.

But pansage's solar beam hit. And when it did, the bird Kisshin blasted down towards him, screeching with its talons raised and sparking to strike. With all the possible targets, Cilan had been unprepared for retaliation.

Darkrai plummeted after, grappling with the talons while Latios and Latias blasted it from above with dragon type attacks. The kisshin's egg hit the courtyard with a BOOM that cracked the pavement and ediface. It lay there, wings broken, screeching in rage and fear. The ground beneath Cilan's feet began to crack. "uh oh!"

"CILAN!" Darkrai was dazed as hell from the impact. The ground beneath Cilan gave way as the wall of the flagstone terrace crumbled. Latios and Latias went into a stoop to try and catch the falling human, but a blast of electricity dropped Latios alongside the very human the legend was trying to save. Pansage grabbed a protruding strut on reflex, screaming in fear as Cilan fell and all he could do was hang on air.

_This __is __it._ Cilan thought of his dream.

He saw Brock running towards the edge of the crumbling terrace. Undaunted by the shifting ground, Brock slid down the edge. Barking orders that he couldn't hear to the panicking pokemon.

_I'm going to die here. _

Cilan's blood was pounding in his ears. He squeezed his eyes shut, not wanting to see the moment he hit the ground. Beside him, the Kisshin's egg slid, stumbled, plummeted.

BONG! Swish... CRACK!

* * *

The world was black. But Cilan was definitely not dead. "Cilan! Hey Cilan say something!" it was Brock's voice.

It felt to Cilan as if he were moving through lead. "A... am I dead?"

"No, can't you see?"

"no... I can't move either! What happened!"

"Paaaaaaaan!" Pansage was wailing in panic. Latias was crooning, trying to reassure the monkey pokemon. "Raaaai." "Latios lati lati." "Latias... laaaaat." He could hear the legendary pokemon clucking.

"What the hell is happening? I can't feel anything, arms, legs, sight, nothing, but I can hear everything!"

* * *

Brock ran to the edge, shinigami instincts propelling him into battle and to face physical challenges that his body knew it could handle. He slid the crumbling slope of the destroyed terrace, riding the rockslide down. He wasn't a rock gymleader for nothing. As he watched, Cilan squeezed his eyes shut and began to glow. His form changed into a sword with a flexible blade that naturally coiled up.

Brock had seen this kind of sword in the ancient weaponry section of the Pewter museum as a child. Cilan was an Urumi, an ancient hindi sword dating back to the mughal empire and southern India. An Urumi was often likened to a vine whip in its form and function.

As he slid, Latios recovered from his plummet as the Kisshin, its wings broken, slid screeching and panicking and thrashing down the slope. Wild pokemon were leaping into the fight if they could reach, ripping at feather, talon and wing, getting blasted by electricity from the giant kisshin bird. It was chaos. Both the pokemon and the kisshin's egg had lost control. It raised its massive head, screeching woefully as blood poured down its body.

Brock felt utterly calm despite the panic. Brock grabbed the hilt of Cilan's weapon form as naturally as if it had been made for him. Latios and Latias pulled up beside him. Latias crooned in concern.

"I can do this." Brock told the Latias. There was a fire in his expression. "Thank you, follow my lead!"

"Lat!" Latias chirped happily.

Brock plummeted towards the kisshin's egg struggling on the ground and against the pokemon that kept trying to tear it to shreds.

BONGGGGGG! SWISH! CRACK!

Brock hit a massive piece of metal jutting out from the wreckage, using it to turn himself. This created the BONGGGGG!

Brock swept Cilan's weapon form forwards. SWISH!

CRACK! The Urumi swept in, sliced off the bird kisshin's head, which rolled aside.

The bird kisshin seemed to slowly, sooooo slowly to Brock, dissolve into a black WHIRL of energy. The orb floated down to Brock's eye level. Growling angrily he snatched the kisshin's egg out of midair. And then all of a sudden time seemed to resume its normal flow. Then he turned to Chansey, as Chansey ran up with a crying pansage. "Chansey, start healing the injured pokemon, take any chansey, blissey, and audino and anyone you can find who knows heal pulse with you.

"Cilan! Hey Cilan say something!" Brock called to Cilan.

"A... am I dead?" Cilan's voice came out of the sword.

"No, can't you see?" Brock asked.

"no... I can't move either! What happened!"

"Paaaaaaaan!" Pansage was wailing in panic. Latias was crooning, nuzzling Pansage as she tried to reassure the monkey pokemon. "Raaaai." Darkrai peered at Cilan. "Latios lati lati." Latios chimed cheerfully, snuffling the kisshin's egg soul in Brock's hand. "Latias... laaaaat." The legendary pokemon were clucking over the debris of the incident.

"What the hell is happening? I can't feel anything, arms, legs, sight, nothing, but I can hear everything!" Several pokemon were seething in anger still, even though they were flat on their back with bruises, cuts, some with broken bones. Latios' right wing and shoulder were oozing blood.

Tsubaki and Blackstar slid down the debris bank. "um..." Brock blinked as they came close. "you changed into a sword, an urumi to be precise."

"I WHAT?" Cilan freaked out. "I can't move! I CANT SEE!"

"You can use the blade of your weapon form like eyes." Tsubaki told him. "You can do it Cilan, just follow my voice, you should see a light."

* * *

Cilan struggled in the darkness, fighting panic. "WHERE? I can't tell where its coming from."

"Follow the sound of my voice Cilan."

"Pansage! Pansage! Pansage! Pansage!" Pansage started to chant Cilan's name in its native language. "Pansage! Pansage! Pansage!" Darkrai joined in. "Rai, rai rai rai rai rai rai."

Cilan heard the direction of the voices and thought... UP! Very hard.

"Pansage! Pansage! Pansage!" "Darkrai! Darkrai! Darkrai!" "Latios! Latios! Latios!" "Latias Latias Latias!" "C'mon Cilan, follow our voices." Tsubaki said warmly. "We're waiting for you... its easy when you get the hang of it." "Come on Cilan, its okay, you're going to be okay. You're still here. You're alive. Now follow us."

Suddenly Cilan's face surfaced in the sword blade with a gasp. "I CAN SEEEEEE!" "PANSAGE!" Pansage cried in joy, jumping up and down happily.

"Pansage! OH am I relieved to see YOU!" Cilan cried in relief. "Oh I'm so relieved, I thought I was going to DIE there."

Brock chuckled. "I guess we just collected our first soul huh?"

"Hmm?"

Brock chuckled. "I wielded you and killed the damn thing. I was just so angry. You should see the pokemon that have been hurt. They went /berserk/ and tried to rip the kisshin's egg apart! And they're /still/ angry."

"how do I change /back/?" Cilan suddenly realized he was now a sword, and panicked, struggling to try and get out.

"Calm down." Tsubaki picked up Cilan carefully, settling him in her lap. Cilan was heavy, and Tsubaki guessed that they were only about half compatible. But /she/ wouldn't be wielding him. She set Cilan down on the ground. "now, concentrate on your human form. Concentrate on your human body." She said patiently.

Cilan focused on an image in his head, the picture of him with his brothers and their pokemon. _Chili,__Cress,__and__me..._

Cilan changed back just as Shinigami-sama strode out, medical crews behind him, Spirit in his hand. "Shinigami-sama... gomenasai." Brock knelt in front of the Older shinigami.

"What are you apologizing for? You killed it. You saved a helluva lot of other possible damage that could have happened and you /collected/ your first Soul. You did your duty as a shinigami. And I have to say, you were a natural." Shinigami-sama smiled, which quickly faded. He turned to Darkrai and Latios and Latias. Latios had several large gashes on its body. One of Lord Death's hands reached into his robes and he pulled out a roll of bandages, trying to put pressure on the creature's biggest wound. "Kim! We've got a bad one over here!" he called out.

"Coming sir!" Kim had small transparent Tanuki ears and a tail coming out of her body. She extended a glowing hand while Shinigami-sama kept pressure on the wound. "easy there... okay when I say go remove your hand." The wounds closed up, and began to disappear, working their way towards the spot where the bandage was held. "GO!"

Shinigami-sama pulled away. "There you go, how are you feeling?" Kim asked Latios as the last vestiges of the wound disappeared.

"Latios!" Latios said happily, rewarding Kim for her care with a grateful nuzzle.

"We've got a lot of injuries, Kim I could use a hand. Think you can take direction from me about pokemon healing?"

"Sure!" Kim chirped. "Why do you think I paid so much attention to your lesson on pokemon medicine?"

Brock, Kim and Stein soon got to work, and Cilan sat with pansage at the edge. A student looped a blanket around his shoulders and gave him a cup of coffee. "Here, its from Maestro's. He makes the best coffee in the city. He sent up a lot of it when he heard the commotion." The girl said shyly.

"Deerling! Deeeerrr!" A piece of rubble was moving and there were pokemon noises coming out from under it.

A woman was calling "Tsugumi? Tsugumi where did you go to?"

"Over here Feather-san!" The girl bellowed, moving to investigate the moving rock. "What's under here I wonder?" She pushed the rock off, revealing a bruised and battered Deerling crouched over a Starly and a Ducklett, protecting them from the rubble.

"DEERLING!" The frightened Deer pokemon and her friends stumbled out, landing in a heap on the girl. All three pokemon started to cry, snuggling into the girl's stomach.

"er..." Tsugumi looked up at Cilan for help. "Sorry, I heard a commotion from the dorms and saw the bird kisshin flying overhead, so we came up to the castle to help." She blinked at the three pokemon that were clinging to her. When she tried to scramble away they followed. "I don't have any foooood! What do you want from me?"

"DEERLING!" Deerling lunged forwards, burying its/his/her head into Tsugumi's chest and crying.

"I'd say they're all scared and want to be comforted." Cilan chuckled, he walked over to Tsugumi and put three oran berries in her hand. "here... give them these."

"fruit?" Tsugumi blinked.

"TSUGUMI!" Two girls hurried over. "woah! You have friends!"

"Ducklett!" "Starly." Ducklett hopped over to Meme, butting her knees gently. While Starly twittered, planting itself on Anya's shoulder and refusing to budge. "Starly!" "Duuuuuccklett!"

Several of the students who had come to help soon found wild pokemon clinging to them for reassurance or trying to soothe wild pokemon hissing and /seething/ in rage. "This is fascinating." Stein muttered as he and Gary took notes on condition of the pokemon and the reactions around them. "its as if the bird kisshin that attacked, stirred up an instinct to attack it." Stein tried to get close to an /extremely/ angry Arbok to check its bruises. It turned a glare on him, which the scientist met by drawing himself up. "I suggest you settle down, unless you want me to look inside you and see what the problem is."

"Chaaarrrboka!" The Arbok yelled angrily.

One of the boys from the NOT dorms calmly planted himself between Stein and the Arbok. "You're riling him up professor. Me dah's a reptile keeper back in Georgia." The boy yawled in a backwoods accent. "Easy there snakey, want me ta find ya a place ta rest? A burrow maybeh?" He reached out a tentative hand to Arbok's muzzle. "easy there, easy..." He looked over at Stein. "No offense Profess-or." He yawled. "Ya obviously only handled animals to dissect 'em, not ta keep 'em. Snakes lash back when they're threatened. So threatenin ta dissect the guy's only gonna get 'im worked up." Before long the boy had the massive snake twice his size coiled around him, gently rubbing its muzzle while Arbok crooned happily.

Soul was looking out over the cleanup effort with Kid. "Heh, looks like a lot of the other students are making new friends. Lookit Marie!"

Marie had enlisted a pair of Munna into helping her by levitating wreckage into a truck that pulled up to carry it away. She was quite affectionate with the two of them, patting or stroking the pokemon in thanks for their help.

THUD. The sudden landing of Lugia nearby as it carried a group of Chansey and Audino on its back to the attack site caused a bunch of nervous giggles.

"BI!" And the Celebi Ash met in Johto floated in, shoring up the weakened earth from the fall by causing trees to grow up where the railing had been. The trees grew bigger, and bigger. And suddenly they replaced the broken stone and burst into bloom. "Oh wow! Celebi made oran berry trees grow!" Dawn exclaimed, coming outside.

Maka came out then, with Chrona in a wheel chair. "amazing..." Chrona blushed. Ragnarok had woken up at the noise, and the Demon Sword had his hand to his forehead, looking up at the massive trees that seemed to have suddenly sprouted out of the broken ediface.

"I like 'em." Kilik grinned, as Fire and Thunder chased a Chimchar and a Pichu around the base of the giant trees, laughing happily.

Ox had chucked shirt to help with the wreckage, admiring Kim's handiwork as she helped to heal the injured, when he found a bit of the wreckage that seemed to have lightning issuing out of the bottom. "JOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLTTT" "JOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLTTT!"

Ox walked over to the piece of flag stone, grabbed a broom handle he'd borrowed from the janitor's closet as a simple lever, and shoved it off to find two tiny spider pokemon, brilliant yellow. "hey there, you two okay?"

"JOLT!" They chorused, leaping up onto his and Havar's shoulders and cheek rubbing them in thanks for the help.

Mewtwo landed at that moment, striding over to Lord Death. **Akane****sent****me****to****find****out****what****happened****and****to****bring****you****his****report.**

"Thank you eh... what's your name?" Shinigami-sama asked.

**Mewtwo.**He replied. **I****volunteered****to****help****Akane****rout****the****Chupas.**

"I see, good luck, fight well, fight valiently, and be safe." The shinigami took the offered message.

Lenora wasn't particularly happy with the situation, but she'd seen the whole thing from an upper window where she'd been having coffee with Marie. She'd been telling Shinigami-sama what she'd seen when Mewtwo came. "A couple of the legendary pokemon got into a fight with a bird Kisshin. They sent the thing crashing down, and the edifice gave way. The wild pokemon went berserk. And they ended up getting hurt in the slide and in their attempts to kill it."

Shinigami-sama sighed. "I should have anticipated this. Untrained pokemon have an instinct that prompts them to attack Kisshins eggs when they're spotted. Pokemon get very angry when a Kisshin's egg is around, they'll often lose control and attack it if they haven't been trained to have restraint. By contrast, they'll try to quiet and soothe someone who's close to falling and try to get them to stop consuming souls." He pointed out Chrona. "Chrona's recovering from such a place. I'm glad she's got her Oshawott, it will make healing easier."

"That girl..."

"... nearly transformed into a Kisshin's egg. We brought her back from the brink. But Chrona will likely have problems her life long. Still... in her case a lot of medical supports are needed."

Lenora nodded. "Its pretty grim isn't it? If the madness gets into our world."

"Yes."

"So how do we stop it?"

"There are many ways to physically stop it from crossing the portal, and several available to push the infection into remission. I have to say though, Pokemon make an amazing emotional support. For a short time, the pokemon that Asura kept slowed his madness' progression. But in the end he lost his internal battle, and became the Demon God. Recovery is never a sure thing."

Lenora nodded, she looked out over the cleanup effort and watched as several of the students and wild pokemon moved to help clear the debris.

Darkrai sighed, leaning back blissfully against the tree. Latios and Latias perched up above in the tree to rest. Soul chuckled, leaning back against the tree next to Darkrai, his fingers clutching the rough bark. The tree stimulated something primal in him. And he wasn't sure what it was. He'd sat under trees before. The pokemon perhaps? His Tepig came out of its ball and snuggled up against him.

Kid was moving among the pokemon and humans, trying to find Kim to get a tally of the injured. Kim had convinced some wild Patrat into acting as scouts for her, rushing between the crowd counting heads, and was currently directing a group of Audino and Chansey in their efforts to heal the wounded.

He found Kim struggling to get a large rock off of a very agitated Ponyta. She couldn't get near it without getting burned, and her hand was clearly regenerating as she struggled with the stone holding the ponyta down. "OYE! Kid some help please! Its too terrified to let me get close!" Kim leapt out of the way of a blast of flames aimed her way.

Kid sighed. "You don't know how to handle horses do you?" Kid asked. "First of all never approach from behind." He moved to face the Ponyta, which screamed and snorted smoke and lashed out with a hoof. Kid calmly sidestepped the hoof. "You can't act panicked either, they'll pick up on that very quickly." He moved in close to Ponyta's head, keeping his demeanor as calm as possible.

The ponyta jerked away from his attempts to calm it at first. Kid sighed, waiting patiently for the Ponyta to stop panicking. Eventually it stopped, pricked its ears, and glared at him. "I'm not leaving. My friend was trying to help you." Kid gently reached out to rub its muzzle. "Its okay." Soul watched from above as Kid quieted the angry horse pokemon. He smiled, then turned as Maka set Chrona on a mat next to the tree. Chrona sighed, struggling to move her body still. Latias crooned, floating down to rest her head in Chrona's lap.

Kid smiled as Kim was finally able to get the flagstone /off/ the Ponyta. "There you go, now lets have a look at your injuries."

"Patrat!" One of the Patrats darted under the ponyta's stomach and pulled a tiny, dusty, dirty, bruised figure from where the Ponyta had been protecting it.

"CIIIIIIIIIIINOOOOOOOOOOOO!" The Mincinno started to freak out, scrubbing at its dirty fur and wailing. "Cinno cinno cinno MIIIIIIIINCCCCIIINOOOOOOOOO!" It wailed, trying to comb its fur.

Kid blinked. He fully understood why a pokemon wouldn't want to be dirty, but this particular pokemon's reaction reminded him of himself. Could pokemon have OCD too?

"cinnooooooooo..." Mincinno sobbed in defeat. "Cinno cinno, mincinno mincinno."

"Are are..." Kid sighed as Kim got the Ponyta under control. He moved to the dirty, crying Mincinno. "I know how you feel, lets find you someplace or someone to get you clean." He called out over the crowd. "is there a water pokemon around?"

"Buizel bui bui!" A wild buizel strode out of the crowd thumping his chest.

Kid set the crying Mincinno down. "Can you wash it off for me? The dirt is making it upset."

"BUI!" Buizel shot water from his mouth at Mincinno. "Bui bui, bui bui bui!"

"ciiiinoooo..." Mincinno whimpered, shivering and soaked, but clean.

Kid hmmmed, then pointed to a tranquil that was watching them. "Now you, can you blow dry this pokemon?"

"Tranquil." The tranquil used gust, carefully blowing on Mincinno.

"not fast enough." He looked around. "Ah, can you come over here?" he called to a nearby Charmander.

"Char?"

"Can you help me warm this little guy up?" Kid asked the Charmander.

"Chaarrr!" The charmander turned around and fired up its tail flame even bigger.

"Arigatou." Kid thanked the Buizel, Charmander and Tranquil. The bird pokemon seemed to shrug, while the Buizel continued to help with the rescue work. Tranquil kept blowing gust on Mincinno, who crooned, hunkering down next to Charmander and warming itself by the tail flame.

"Charrrr..." "Mincinno." "Tranquil, tranquil tranquil." The three pokemon chattered amongst themselves. "cinnooooo..." Mincinno drooped. "Charmander, char char." "Tranquil."

Kid chuckled. Once Mincinno was dry and warm, he thanked the two pokemon for their help and picked up Mincinno. "I don't like dirt either, and you're juuuuust Symmetrical enough to keep. If you come with me, you'll never be dirty."

"Cinnooooo..." Mincinno's eyes turned huge and sparkly before it nodded. "Mincinno!"

"Then thank you." Kid smiled, hugging the little pokemon.

Shinigami-sama sighed as the last of the debris was cleaned up. "Right! Clear back, form a ring around the earth patch!" A large plot of bare earth was left behind, about the size of a basketball court. Then he smiled, looking over at Celebi. "Celebi, please turn this patch of earth green?" Shinigami-sama asked hopefully.

"BI!" Celebi flew out over the patch, and curls and tendrils of stems began to rise. Berry bushes rose from the ground and began to bloom and beautiful verdant flowers and rolling rich green foliage rolled over the space.

"SUGOOOII!" Patti squealed in delight, jumping up and down.

When the glow subsided, the students surged over the newly flowered and grown foliage. Celebi found itself being hugged, patted, petted, cuddled, and coddled and lavished with cries of "amazing!" "you did a great job celebi!" "I love it! You're one crazy pokemon celebi!" and Blackstar's response was very amusing. "You may have a small body! But you've suuuureee got a big heart Celebi!"

"Bii! Bi bi, celebi bi bi bi!"

Lord Death looped an arm around Kid's shoulder. "What a way to spend a saturday morning huh son?"

Kid chuckled. "Hai, Chichue. Seeing what could have been a tragedy turn into an occasion of joy was very satisfying." "Cinno!" Mincinno chimed in happily. "Can we have a pet bed and food bowl made for him?"

"oooh, you found a Mincinno did you? Of course." Shinigami-sama leaned in to whisper something in Marie's ear, she nodded. "I'm going to treat our visitors to lunch. Lets see about getting Spartoi and the Deathscythes currently present to join us."

It took awhile to get everyone Death wanted together and moving. For starters, Maka had a considerable amount of trouble getting Chrona back into the wheel chair. Whenever she tried to touch the underside of Chrona's legs to lift her, it /tickled/. This caused Chrona to giggle, and kick. In a way that she shouldn't have in her present condition. It was only when a very firm handed Machop lent them a hand that Maka and Soul were able to get Chrona into the chair. For another, Cilan had hit his limit psychologically of what he could handle. The Striaton Gym Leader, normally swarthy and hale, seemed to have almost wilted in exhaustion. And it seemed that he was not taking being a weapon very well.

And just as they had finally gotten the group moving towards Gallows manor, once they got distance from the newly cleaned up area, it became clear that several of the pokemon that had fought or been rescued had formed an attachment to the Spartoi members themselves. Havar and Ox seemed to have garnered a following of electric types. Several Audino, Chansey, Patrat and fire type pokemon had attached themselves to Kim and Jackie, along with a very rambunctious Eevee. The ponyta that Kid had calmed allowed Buizel, Charmander and Tranquil to ride on its back and trotted at Kid's heals. Fire and Thunder would /not/ let go of a Chimchar and a Pichu, and had garnered the obedience of six woodland pokemon that were easily two or three times their size. Indeed, the two enormous Deerling that followed in their wake seemed very attached.

Then when Kid brought Mincinno upstairs to check on his candle arrangement and painting, he fell over with a shriek and a bleeding nose.

"Lit! Lit! Lit! Lit!" The candles were surrounded by Litwick, which happily bounced and waved and then when Kid fainted they peered over the edge of the table. Several hopped down and started poking and prodding him. "Lit, lit lit lit lit lit lit lit litwick!"

By the time Liz and Patti got Kid awake and alert, Kid had gotten over the shock of there suddenly being dozens more candles than he'd put into the arrangement that morning. "Oye! All of you stand symmetrically!" Kid started making the Litwick gather on the table they'd chosen to occupy in a perfect series of circles. "There, now if you want to use the table, you have to stand just like that okay?" Kid told them.

"Litwick!" They chorused, hopping down and peering at the other pokemon.

Patti was laughing. "you made them stand symmetrically! That was funny Kid!"

Professor Oak and several other pokemon professors had brought supplies for Shibusen to care for pokemon with. Professor Ivy was going to be late as she was bringing berry tree seedlings for an orchard. But everyone else was there. And at that moment he called out. "Kid? Liz? Patti?"

"Speaking." Kid ended up dabbing the blood from his nose and straightening up as one of the Litwicks remained beside him and the rest all departed for elsewhere in the manor.

"Your father asked me to bring these up. Pokemon keeping supplies for the three of you. Lunch in half an hour." He turned to go.

It was the first time in Kid's young life that the large table at the Gallows had been completely full. Sid sighed. "So..."

"so..." agreed Professor Birch.

"How are we going to deal with this sudden influx of pokemon into our world?" Sid asked.

"And how are we going to keep madness out of our world?" Professor Elm asked.

Marie hmmmed. "An exchange program!" she said brightly.

"Marie don't be dumb, these are pokemon not human children or weapons." Spirit muttered.

"No..." Stein frowned. "Marie may be on to something. Shinigami-sama, the village of dragons was settled to guard the Unova end of the portal right?"

"yes. But I couldn't find enough people in Sinnoh willing to settle the area around the shrine." Shinigami-sama replied. "it was too far from the main traveling paths, and there were no traders who came to the area and no advanced transportation technology. Because it was hard to get supplies that far in, and most of the traders were afraid of the Space Time Pokemon, I couldn't persuade enough people to settle there."

"Well, we have advanced transportation technology now." Professor Birch pointed out. "Why not settle the valley the shrine's in as a place for our worlds to work together?"

Kid looked over at Mincinno, which was happily eating pokemon food with the others and then down into his bowl of soup. The other Spartoi members looked at each other. Then Ox spoke up. "it makes sense. Our two groups can help each other. And think about the pokemon trainers who changed into shinigami and weapons. They're going to need a source of education. I'm not comfortable with three weapons not getting taught how to use their abilities or the training they need. And I'm not comfortable with three shinigami being denied their history and culture or access to the information they'd need to master their new abilities."

"I don't think you're the only one uncomfortable." Iris muttered. "I'm worried about Excadrill and Axew. Axew swallowed a Kisshin's egg soul, he'll need firm training to adjust to it. And Excadrill. I'm worried about how it will fare having been exposed to Black Blood like that."

"Exca..." Excadrill wrapped its arms around Iris and snuggled against her.

"Awww... you're worried too Excadrill?"

The pokemon nodded. It kept looking at its claws contemplatively.

"Madness exposure in pokemon can be deadly. It isn't just a matter of preserving Excadrill's sanity. If that Black blood takes too firm a hold it could kill him." Stein warned Iris. "So caution is actually quite right." He patted the pokemon reassuringly on the head. "Fortunately, Medusa left plenty of resources and information on her work behind. We should be able to devise some kind of treatment for Excadrill. Who knows, we may find something to benefit Chrona's recovery as well." He frowned. "That reminds me Chrona, I need to run some blood tests later to make sure your blood calcium level is where it should be for your bones to recover."

Chrona finished her bowl of soup and pushed it back. "i'm tired, is there someplace I can lie down?"

"Are you alright?" Maka asked worriedly.

"Yeah, my hands just don't want to work right." Chrona mumbled. "I don't know how to deal with it." Chrona's hands had shook through the entire meal, and holding the soup spoon had been a struggle. Her arms tended to shake, and the difficulty even doing this simple task frustrated the demon swordsman beyond what she felt she was capable of dealing with at the moment.

"Oshawott, Osha osha!" Chrona's Oshawott hopped up into her lap.

"You don't have to nap too Oshawott, I'm just a little overwhelmed is all." Chrona yawned.

"Osha!" Oshawott insisted, calling to a nearby Meinfoo to come and help.

"Mienfoo!" It hurried over to push Chrona's wheel chair.

Kid stood up with Maka. "There's a spare room that you can rest in Chrona. A century ago the Gallows was actually a dormitory."

"no kidding." Maka blinked.

They got Chrona to the spare bedroom and into bed. Chrona yawned, reaching up to hug Maka. Maka gave Chrona a kiss goodnight. The Meinfoo stood guard at the door, while Oshawott bounced up onto the bed and snuggled with Chrona. "If something goes wrong come get me, okay?" She asked Meinfoo quietly.

"Meinfoo." It replied with a nod.

Maka flicked off the light. "Good night Chrona, sweet dreams."


	7. Chapter 7

"C'mon Cilaaaan!"

"Nuuu, its gross." Cilan turned up his nose.

Cilan was sitting with spartoi, Ash, Gary, Dawn and Iris. In front of him, a single Kisshin soul with what looked like a feather sticking out of the top. "C'mon Cilan, Kisshin souls with distinct markings are better than regular ones that don't! They have more of a boost. You'll make an amazing deathscythe if you eat this one and more of them." Soul pointed out. "Of course, you'll never be as cool as I am no matter if you become a Deathscythe or not but you'll still be a good one!"

"Especially given that you don't usually see urumi swords. Its a very unusual style." Kid smiled. "Cilan, stop seeing your gift as a curse, and see it for what it is, a gift. You're distinct. You're unique. There isn't a single beginner Urumi in Shibusen's academy at the moment. The few that there are are in our west asia branch and they're /all/ fully grown and graduated."

"Besides, Lord Death is planning a Sinnoh branch of Shibusen, so its not like you won't be able to go back to your world to learn how to be a weapon." Pointed out Kim. "I know you're lonely. But you don't have to be. You have all of us." She smiled over at Ox. "I learned my lesson, that Shibusen students stick together."

Cilan just kinda stared at his shoes. How were Iris and Gary taking this so well? Cilan felt the changes to his heart so heavily. They were like weights on his skin. "Cilan." Brock looked Cilan in the eye. "its time for you to evolve. And I know its scary. I hold no illusions, ahead of me is along, steep upward climb."

Cilan moped. "This thing ate human souls, it must have the most decidedly evil taste." Cilan shuddered, recoiling from the red orb.

"Do you want me to hold your hand or something?" Liz asked. "Honestly, you're just as big a weenie as Kid. I formed that conclusion back when you were moping about your serving dome."

"moping?" Soul asked.

"Cilan is as obsessed with cooking like a gourmet chef in the WILDERNESS as Kid is about symmetry. One neurotically obsessed classmate is enough for me." Liz smirked, looping an arm around Kid's shoulder. "Kid here is the little brother Patti and I always wanted. Its just that one of him is more than enough."

Patti was happily playing with a Girafarig. "Kirin, kirin, kirin!" Patti chanted as she chased it in circles around the room. "So true, Kid is the only OCD meister for meeee! Yesssirreee!"

Kid chuckled. After the incident with Noah, Liz and Patti cried in relief that they were alive and their Kid was sane on the other side. Since then, the demon pistols had been extremely over possessive of Kid. Soul rather thought it was amusing.

Soul smirked, looping an arm around Kid's waist from the other side. "Well, he's the only /man/ for me. But I understand Meister loyalty. I never want another Meister other than Maka." Soul grinned.

Maka noticed Soul's arm around Kid and snickered. Liz blinked, realizing Soul had his arm around her Meister. Liz snatched a book from Maka's bag and hit him. "OW!" Soul fell over. "WHAT WAS THAT FOR?"

"THAT WAS FOR AN OR ELSE! IF YOU BREAK KID'S HEART SOUL I'LL POUND YOU AND GET PATTI TO HELP! YOU HEAR ME? HE'S LIKE A LITTLE BROTHER TO US AND IF YOU HURT HIM I'LL BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF YOU!" Liz yelled.

Kid cowered. "Liz thats not fair, I came to him, he didn't come to me." Kid winced, covering his ears as Liz yelled over him at Soul.

Liz's eyes turned huge and watery. "Kiddo... you shouldn't be worrying about sex so soon. You should be saving it for someone special and..." Maka chopped Liz on the head. "OW..."

"You're an idiot. You don't think Soul can be /mature/ about a relationship?" Maka was reading a book about knitting and glaring over at Liz. "I guess so." Liz sighed. "Just make sure you know you've been or elsed." Liz glared at Soul.

Soul rolled his eyes and pulled Kid close to him. "Possessive... maybe you're jealous Liz?"

"Kid isn't my type." Liz replied. "Remember the book of Eibon? Patti and I like thugs. Preferably ones who can handle being whipped by a woman in a fight."

"Violence makes for a fun relationship!" Patti cheered happily. "Especially when the girl's the one doing the violence!"

"So Cilan, are you going to eat that thing, or just stare at it." Havar teased him.

"C'mon Cilan, just do tasting time like you usually do." Iris told him.

"I don't do tasting time for things that I find unappetizing." Cilan lifted the kisshin soul to his lips, sniffed, then licked it and shuddered. He took an experimental bite, and found that his teeth wouldn't cut it.

Cilan sneezed right then and he dropped it. Then he picked the kisshin soul back up and gummed it. Then suddenly it was like a switch flipped in his head. Cilan felt his salivary glands responding to the kisshin soul with drool. His stomach growled. "Should do it quick..." Cilan tipped his head back and swallowed the kisshin's egg soul as fast as he could.

"Yaaaaaaaaay!" Patti jumped up and down. "Cilan broke his kisshin cherry Cilan broke his kisshin cherry!"

"PATTI!" Cilan turned as red as a tomato.

Ash giggled nervously. "That leaves us Gary, we still have to bag our first kisshin."

Gary snorted. "I plan on taking copious notes about the experience. This is something no scientist on our world has ever had a chance to study." he beamed. "And I'm hoping I can get Professor Stein to share his research. I'm very eager to learn from him."

Ash snorted. "Professor Stein is WEIRD."

"I've seen weirder, believe me."

"Like who?"

"You don't want to see professor elm when he's had too much eggnog." Replied Gary. "He goes absolutely /insane/ when he's drunk."

"Thank you for that lovely picture." Ash sweatdropped. "No offense, but out of the lot of them, Elm is a geek."

A few rooms over professor elm sneezed.

Gary rolled his eyes. "Professor Rowan trained my grandfather, who in turn trained Professors Birch, Elm, Ivy and Juniper. Juniper then trained Professor Fennel." Gary explained. "So all the professors are chummy." He said proudly. "I'm very glad to be a part of that tradition."

Cilan just seemed to wilt, even something he could prove his conisseurship over didn't cheer him up. "Cilan, I can feel it on your wavelength, you're depressed." Brock said quietly.

"I'm insecure in my new... status... thats all." Cilan muttered. "My entire perception of reality is shattered how am I supposed to feel?"

Brock wrapped an arm around Cilan's waist. Cilan leaned his head on Brock's chest, comforted. "I'll tell you what, if you'll let me, we make a good team, I'll be your Meister. And I'll stay by your side to listen to your insecurities." Brock said tenderly. "So please smile? You're such a lively gym leader, a lively person. And you have a lot of qualities I admire. Not only did I find a kindred spirit in you, I found someone who appreciates the same things that I do. And it would be an honor to be your Meister." Brock's expression was soft. Not the way he got around Nurse Joy. This was softer, more tender.

Cilan sighed, closing his eyes and not realizing he'd drifted off. He dreamed about dogfights between flying pokemon and kisshins, with an amazingly thrilling taste in his mouth and a pleasurable, thrilling flip flop of his stomach.

"Axew, ax ax!" Axew came running in and handed Iris a thermometer. "Axew axew ax ax!"

"Shhhhh!" Iris pointed to Cilan and whispered. "Its sleeping time."

Axew clapped his hands over his mouth. "Axew." He whispered as Iris took the thermometer. "hey, back to normal. Congratulations Axew."

"you guys go ahead, I think Cilan needs some sleep." Brock told the others.

Kid chuckled, Soul snatched him by the arms. "Sleep sounds like a good idea, since we didn't get any last night huh Kid?"

Maka covered her mouth to hide that she was laughing, heading into Chrona's room. The hermaphrodite was sound asleep, Mienfoo was still on guard, seated on the end of the bed staring into the dimly lit room. "Thank you." Maka said in a whisper.

"Mein..."

Shinigami-sama poked his head in as the door was closing. "Maka a word?"

Maka followed Shinigami-sama out. "yes sir?"

"I was thinking of having this room made up for Chrona to stay in, the place in the dungeon he was in..."

"She. Chrona said she feels more like a girl than a guy."

The shinigami nodded. "She then, the dungeon she was in isn't wheelchair accessible, and Stein is concerned about Chrona getting an infection or having similar troubles. In her condition we shouldn't be putting her in the dorms or in the dungeons /or/ the dispensary. We shouldn't be leaving her alone either."

Maka nodded. "I want to be able to visit."

"I'll give you a spare key. And I've found some pokemon to help Chrona manage. The Nurse joy that came here with the Professors recommended a Blissey or Audino and a Stoutland to act as a therepy dog. She's got a long recovery ahead, so don't expect Chrona to return to school full time for awhile."

"How bad is Chrona's condition, really?"

"Well... chrona's bones were affected as well as her nerves and muscles. If her marrow was compromised, she could be left with a crippled immune system. Only time, care, and a lot of testing will tell."

"Will she walk again?" Maka asked, tears welling up in her eyes.

"She's got a 50/50 chance that she won't."

Maka let the tears go, and just cried. Shinigami-sama bowed his head, not happy to be the bearer of such bad news. He gently dabbed at her eyes. "Maka, get some rest, Chrona is going to NEED you. If she believes she can recover, then her odds improve just a bit. Humans have /amazing/ willpower. And you'd be surprised the control the soul has over the body it inhabits. If Chrona doesn't know the odds of failure, then she doesn't know she can fail. Please... do your best for her..." He said quietly. "You can make things so much better for her."

Maka nodded. "I'll do my best sir. I love her."

"I know you do Maka. I saw how worried you were." Shinigami-sama turned to leave.

Maka headed back into the room, slipping into the bed alongside Chrona, fully clothed under the covers. She buried her face in the pink hair and just cried.

"Maka-chan?" Chrona's eyes opened sleepily. "Why are you crying? I'm the one who can't get out of bed."

"I hate her. I hate Medusa. She was a bitch. I hate her! I want all trace of her wiped off the face of the planet." Chrona blinked as Maka pulled her tightly against her. "Maka-chan, what are you doing?"

"i'm sorry I just... the state you're in... seeing you hurt like this hurts me..." Maka sobbed. "Nobody should have the right to do what Medusa did to you. She should have been tortured to death."

"Its not your fault Maka-chan, please don't hurt." Chrona pleaded. "I don't like seeing you cry. Your face gets all salt streaked and I don't know how to deal with it." Chrona wrapped her arms around Maka, trying to figure out what to do to make Maka stop crying.

Chrona leaned in, kissing Maka gently on the lips. It was weak, and Chrona couldn't seem to sustain it. But Maka could feel the love behind the kiss, and she returned it. And as the kiss broke, Chrona started to drift off to sleep again. Maka refused to leave her side, and eventually she, Snivy, and Oshawott were joined by Meinfoo, who fell asleep sprawled across her feet.

* * *

Stein sighed, all his DNA and bloodwork had come back at once. "how bad is it?" Professor Oak sighed as he took a seat across from Stein in his lab.

"Its all bad news, so you want the decently bad or the really bad?"

"Start with the least bad?"

"Chrona's white count is down thirty percent, and her hermatocrit levels are severely anemic. Its a miracle she's even able to sit up. She'll need to be started on iron supplements and an infusion immediately." Stein sighed.

"And Gary?"

"Well, Gary, Pikachu, Umbreon, Cilan, and Iris have all gotten the gene for Shinigami constitution. And in every case, its identical to the one in the shinigami that was close to them. And the wavelength current from each of their transformations carried up into the pokeball. All the pokemon they had on them at the time need to be tested."

"Ouch." Professor Oak sighed. "Well, this is unknown territory. My colleagues and I each have a gene sequencer in our labs, we have pokeball teleporters, and we can get you an infinite amount of blood samples, fur, feather and scale samples, seed samples from plants, and Xray or MRI scans."

Stein nodded. "I'm particularly concerned. Humans and shinigami /can/ successfully interbreed. I went to school with Kid's mother Stella. But the psychological impact... Cilan in particular is not adapting well. It took the entire spartoi unit encouraging him to swallow his first Kisshin's egg. Wheras Iris jumped into it with gusto."

"Iris seems particularly lively." Oak sipped his tea.

"Well yes, she's the most psychologically adaptable of the entire six some. Even Ash has had a few issues but Gary's support is very helpful." He checked his watch, then got up. "I have to go get Chrona's treatment going. And the attack is going down in about..." he checked his watch. "Four hours. If it goes well, you'll all be able to go home and we can begin contact between our worlds in earnest."

"amen." Professor Oak turned and scrawled on the Lab report.

_Friends and loved ones, all gather now, family by soul._

"Its not a pokemon Senryuu the way they're used to. But its the best blessing I can think of my grandson." Professor Oak leaned back in the office chair he'd borrowed from Stein and looked out the window with a heavy sigh. "Difficult times lie ahead, but so /stimulating!/"

* * *

Maka was woken by the light turning on. "Maka, Chrona, wake up." Stein moved an IV into the room, as well as several bottles of supplements in a basket. "Chrona wake up." He was more gentle, not touching Chrona simply standing by the bed.

"What is it Stein-hakase?"

"Meinfoo?" Meinfoo asked. "Snivy snivy snivy." "Oshawott osha osha!"

"Professor?" Chrona blinked awake, utterly exhausted.

"Your blood tests came back as seriously anemic and your white cell count is down thirty percent. I need to give you a transfusion and start you on nutritional supplements right away."

"Is that why I've been so tired?" Chrona asked.

"Very likely. I'm going to have to biopsy your bone marrow to make sure it didn't sustain damage, but that can wait until your iron count has gone up." Stein was moving calmly and deliberately as he prepared the IV. But his tone was urgent.

Chrona watched the IV needle go in, whimpering slightly. "I'm sorry." Stein said quietly. "You're my patient, and I will not let you be in danger." He said calmly. "And more than anyone, I can understand what you go through with the Madness."

Chrona nodded. "Thanks." She said quietly.

Maka pulled Chrona into her arms, her jacket askew, hugging her while the IV did its work.

Stein started laying out supplements. "So, in addition to standard multi vitamins, I'm prescribing high dosages of three different specialized nutritional supplements. After a month we'll halve the amount. But correct me if i'm wrong, Medusa didn't exactly feed you well did she?"

"She only fed me well if I did what she wanted." Chrona said quietly. "Defiance meant I starved in the dark."

Stein nodded. "We'll see about this particular regimen for a year or so then, after a month we'll halve the supplement amount. I'm also starting you on an anti depressant. I'm sorry its so many pills." he sighed. "I pulled a few strings, my old school mate at the health spa will do acupuncture for you once a month, I'll pay."

"Acupuncture?"

"Relieves stress and depression. I tell you, my madness would be a lot worse if I hadn't figured out that having needles stuck in odd places made me feel better. Strangest scientific phenomenon I've ever witnessed."

Maka nodded. "Kid goes to one too, I saw him going into an acupuncturist's after school one day."

Stein chuckled. "Its a very good help for anxiety and depression, even if it seems a little strange." he set a small case down in front of Chrona. "okay, this is two weeks worth of medication laid out ahead of time, the bottles are in the basket on the bedside. Just use one compartment of medication a day. We'll adjust the dose and if you need to talk just come to me or call me."

Chrona nodded.

"I'll be back in half an hour to check on you." He left the two of them for privacy.

It was normal blood, not black, in the IV for some reason Chrona found that comforting. Maka reached up to kiss Chrona on the cheek. "Hey, it will be okay."

"I should be telling you that. I don't know how to deal with people worrying about me."

"You're so sweet Chrona."

Someone, Maka couldn't see who, cracked the door open, and a large fluffy dog pokemon with a long coat and a big pink pokemon with large ears and a fluffy white tail walked in. The pink pokemon had a nurse's hat on, and she was carrying a tray with two glasses of water and a pitcher of water.

The dog pokemon had one of those rescue collars you see on saint bernards around its neck, which it tilted back for Maka to open.

Maka pulled out the note inside the compartment and read it. "My name is Stoutland, in Japanese I am called Moolanda, I am a dog pokemon that likes protecting people. I am a certified therepy pokemon trained in helping people in wheel chairs. Since I don't have hands, my buddy Audino assists me. She's a certified nurse, so feel free to take advantage of her knowledge and my caring nature." She read. "Aww, Chrona thats so cute. You're getting a team of friends to help you."

"Stoutland!" Stoutland declared proudly as Maka closed his collar container. Stoutland rested his head briefly on Chrona's lap, before barking something to Meinfoo. The pokemon hopped off, and Oshawott tucked its tail in a little tighter.

And Stoutland climbed up on the bed, causing Chrona to squeal in surprise as suddenly a big fluffy pokemon was curled up with its head and forebody in her lap, fur draped over her and Maka like a warm blanket. "Stoutland!" The pokemon barked, nuzzling Chrona with a cold wet nose.

Chrona giggled. "I like cold wet noses! How do I deal with this?"

"By petting it silly goose." Maka giggled. "Hey Stoutland, Audino, nice to meet you, but at this rate we're going to need a bigger bed!"

"Stout!" Stoutland barked, a happy look on his face. "Stoutland stou stouuuuu!" Chrona started to scratch Stoutland behind the ears. The dog pokemon panted, licking Chrona's cheek. Chrona squealed in surprise.

When Soul poked his head in to check on Maka, he found her and Chrona curled up with Stoutland, Snivy, Oshawott and Meinfoo on the bed. Chrona was asleep. Meinfoo perked up, and held a finger to its lips in a shusshing gesture. Soul nodded. Meinfoo hopped off the bed, wandering outside and looking up at Soul.

Soul shut the door softly. "How is she?"

Meinfoo sighed, cocking his head, then as if contemplating how to communicate this, he reached to Soul's back pocket and pulled out the pokedex Professor Oak had given him. He opened it. "Pokedex translation unit active." "Meinfoo mein meinfoo, fooooo..." Meinfoo sighed, clearly dismayed. "Maka is very torn up over Chrona."

"I figured she would be."

"Meinfoo mein, meinfoo foo meinfoo..." "I will do my best to assist her, she is clearly a very strong woman."

"That she is, I wouldn't choose anyone else to be my Meister." Soul chuckled.

"Meinfoo." "And many pokemon say the same about their trainers." Meinfoo said wisely.

"They're going off to fight soon, with any luck the entry to your world will be safe to cross." Meinfoo nodded approval, punching its palm with its fist to show how excited it was.

* * *

Ash and Gary walked out to the yard of the Gallow's manor. Ash's charizard was waiting for him. "Hey..." Ash said tenderly. "Charizard its been a long time. How are you old friend?"

"Pikachu, pika pika!"

"Charrrr..." Charizard nuzzled Ash, sensing the change in his trainer. Ash gently rubbed that huge, orange warm nose.

"Yeah, I've changed. But I'm still the same old Ash."

"charrrrizzzarrrd." The pokemon knelt. Ash and Pikachu climbed aboard. Gary changed into a scythe and Ash lifted him effortlessly.

"WAIT!" Kid came running out. "Where are you going?"

"Charrrr." Charizard used his tail to bar Kid from pursuit, holding the shinigami at arms length.

"Where do you think we're going, to fight." Ash replied.

"You're INSANE. Father requires students to pass a combat test before they're allowed to collect Souls."

Ash frowned. "i'm not fighting alone, and neither is Gary. Our pokemon are fighting alongside us. And Charizard has been training for just such an emergency for nearly a decade."

"Charizard, CHAR!" Charizard said fearsomely.

"But..."

"Char char char..." Charizard crooked a finger, waggling it back and forth in an "ah, ah ah" motion. (1) Charizard gently butted Kid in the chest, looping his tail around the young shinigami. His eyes sparkled brightly.

Kid got the message. "I'm going with you." He said quietly. "Just wait for me to get Liz and Patti. I don't like a bunch of kisshin eggs prowling the desert around the city. Especially in numbers like what were reported."

"Take my Hydreigon with you." Tiamat came out with Elesa and a broom. "Elesa is going as your body guard Ash. No buts, you're our world's future Death. I will not allow you to go into your first battle alone."

Kid ran in, and found his father coming out of the meeting room with Professor Rowan. "Father, Ash wants to go to the front and fight with the Chupas, Elesa and I are going with him to make sure he doesn't get hurt."

"Alright. The Meister and Weapon pair in charge of the battle are Akane and his sword, Clay." Death told him. "Safe flying Kid."

"I will..." Kid ran to find Liz and Patti, and then stopped, realizing he hadn't said goodbye to Soul. They were lovers, it only seemed right.

He found Soul predictably standing guard outside of Chrona's door while Maka watched over the crippled demon swordsman. "Soul?"

"hey Kid, where you running t..." Soul was cut off when Kid pulled him down into a passionate, demanding, steamy kiss. "... wow..."

"I'm going out to fight the Chupas, Ash and Gary are determined to go and I don't want them to go alone, since he's a newbie. I... I figured I should say goodbye before I go."

"Thanks..." Soul leaned down to kiss Kid on the forehead. "... be safe Kid, okay?"

Kid nodded. "I will. I took down a mission for a 3 star meister, I think I can handle this."

"Kid, you took down a /pyramid./" Soul pointed out. "And had all the souls you'd collected confiscated. I don't think that counts."

"I survived didn't I?"

"Well yeah." Soul sighed. "anyway, come home safe."

"Will do." And he turned to leave.

He found Liz and Patti, and was quickly down to meet Elesa and Ash. Elesa was mounted on her broom, her Emolga flying beside her. Charizard took off, and Kid rode Hydreigon towards the edge of the city. The flight wasn't quite as thrilling or symmetrical, but Kid realized that Hydreigon could also attack the enemy, from three sides, which Beelzebub could never do. Beelzebub was, however, more manuverable. So it was a trade up, the ability to attack, or agility.

"Hey Liz, Patti, look!" Kid pointed downwards.

"Hey!" Brock and Dawn were both riding dragon pokemon. Brock had Crogunk sitting with him, and Dawn had Axew and Piplup riding shotgun, one on each of her shoulders. Each of them were carrying Iris and Cilan in weapon form with them. "Hey guys!" Dawn pulled even to Ash, as the flying pokemon from his, Brock, Iris and Gary's team flapped up to greet them. "Did you really think we'd let you go to this battle alone?" "Eemooollgaa!" "Crobat, cro cro!" "Gunk gunk gunk!" "Lup pip piplup!" "Axew ax ax axew!"

"Um... no?"

"WAIT FOR UUUUSSSS!" Maka yelled up.

"YAHOO!" Blackstar cried in delight. Maka and Blackstar had also found mounts, a pair of swift, agile Flygon. Blackstar threw his arms up in excitement and then bent low, knees clasping Flygon's neck, bent over the dragon pokemon's neck and gripping its horns for handles.

Darkrai, Latios and Latias swooped in from above. Fantina, Gardenia, and Flannery rose up behind them, Fantina's ghost pokemon floated behind her. Gardenia's Roserade rode behind her, clinging to her back and looking slightly airsick.

"You aren't going to fight an army of Kisshin's eggs alone." Dawn told Ash with a giggle.

"And thats why we're riding with you!" Iris's face beamed from the dragon headed blade.

"And I'm not letting Kid have all the fun!" Soul giggled. "Even though I'm a deathscythe now I still want some kisshin souls. Though I'll let you guys have first crack of course."

"Besides." Tsubaki smiled. "It would be inconsiderate of us to let complete newbies go with only one escort."

"We will be the pokecade for our world's next Death." Flannery beamed hugely at Ash. "Besides, I had fun when we battled at my Gym. It would be an honor to fight beside you."

"I of course will watch your back from the air!" Fantina sighed. "aaaah, for the Heroes of France! Let us have a spectacular battle we'll talk about 500 years or more from now!"

"There's no grass pokemon here to occupy my time, and I know a lot of useful forms of magical first aid." Gardenia grinned. "I'm sure you'll need it."

Ash laughed. "Thanks guys! Lets RIDE!" The flying pokemon and dragon pokemon and witches, meisters and weapons, all formed up into a V formation. Then they turned as one, and made a beeline straight south.

"YEAH! Lets go Pikachu!" Ash crowed from Charizard's back. Charizard looked /exceedingly/ smug, rumbling up at Ash from the point of the formation.

* * *

1. I think there's an episode where Charizard actually does this when Ash tries to send another pokemon out to fight. In fact, I think it was his fight with Blaine.


	8. Chapter 8

Notes: hoooo boy, i lost net access when something royally fucked my computer's ability to connect to the internet. So i upgraded my OS. it took days, and days more for me to get most of my urge to destroy enemy mobs on Digimon Masters Online out of my system. Plus, i have to start over in age of empires iii. grrrrr.

But on the bright side, I hadn't changed my OS since 2005, so an upgrade almost seven years later was long overdue.

Without further ado, the epic battle between Shibusen, the Pokemon trainers, and the Chupa Cabra Gang. Will Dawn finally be able to defeat Cuatemoc?

* * *

The army of Kisshin's eggs was losing, but they were giving the combined forces of pokemon and weapons and meisters the run for their money. Akane had coaxed a ponyta to letting him carry it on its back so that he and Clay could keep up with the Zoroark that seemed to have adopted him. The dark fox tended to regard the prickly Star Clan swordmeister with a kind and calm look rather than its usual feral glare.

Then suddenly above, aerial reinforcements gathered. Mewtwo beamed upwards, face glowing with pride, cloak billowing around him. **He's here.** The pokemon shone with pride at what he saw. Akane couldn't blame him, they were an awe inspiring sight.

Akane looked up, eyes turning huge. The three newbie shinigami, weapons brandished, stood on the backs of Dragon pokemon. Ash on Charizard's back, Gary's scythe form in his hand. Dawn had the twin pata on her hands, Iris's weapon form, the guards of the swords were shaped like Reshiram and Zekrom's heads. And Brock wielded Cilan's Urumi form.

Beside them in formation, Kid, Liz and Patti, Maka and Soul, and Blackstar and Tsubaki were also mounted. And flying pokemon, highly evolved and well trained, escorted them. The three meisters fell upon the attacking kisshins eggs. Soul grinned from the red room. "Shall we let them have it Maka?"

"Yeah." The two began to resonate, and Soul began to play. Their energy rising. But the song was different this time, a fierce and ferocious whirlwind of a song, mimicking the frenzy of battle and the joy of combat.

"My you're excited." The demon had hopped up on his stool.

"Of course, I want our new allies to be able to get home, and i'm hoping to get to go myself."

"The portal won't admit you, I'm active remember?"

"Just because you're here doesn't mean it won't. I just have to get the amount of madness energy inside me to subside enough." Soul muttered. "Honestly, I doubt I'll ever be rid of you, that bugs me, but I don't see what I can do to get rid of you beyond dying myself."

"oh I seeeeeeee." The demon listened, quite pleased with something.

Kid grinned, the high of battle even getting to the neurotic shinigami. Kid kept his focus, but he was seriously enjoying this. "like shooting fish in a barrel right Liz, Patti?"

"I suppose." Liz sighed. "I don't really like the amount of chaos going on here."

"We'll get lots of souls like this won't we Kid?" Patti asked hopefully.

"I intend to get you both to the 99 souls you need in one go. We can worry about the witch later. I'll bet Elesa or one of the ones that came with Tiamat can help us train."

"Unless the customs of the witches there are different from the ones here, that sounds like a perfect plan." Liz sighed as Kid opened their clips to suck in the souls they'd collected so far.

"Tsubaki, we have to give it our all so that Iris can go home again!"

"Yes, I can go enchanted sword mode any time you ask Blackstar."

"I don't want to go all out just yet, lets take our time and work up to enchanted sword." Blackstar grinned. "I'm enjoying this fight, so there's no need to rush it!"

"Are you serious?" Tsubaki asked.

"Yeah, this isn't like the Al Capone gang or the raid on Arachne. This is an out and out battle, the rules of the assassin don't help us here."

"Alright. Whatever you say Blackstar."

Ash smiled softly. "Ready Gary?"

"any time you ask Ashy boy."

Ash laughed, "Charizard, stay close, I may need you to pull me out if I get in trouble okay?"

"CHARAR!" Charizard roared, simply dropping on a spindly aligator like kisshin. It thrashed underneath the fire dragon, struggling to get free. Charizard bent down, sinking its teeth into the crocodile kisshin's head. Ash raised Gary's scythe form and sliced off the head of a scarecrow like Kisshin's egg.

Brock called out. "Concentrate hard Cilan, we need to be as precise as possible."

"So this is the flavor of battle. Can't say I like it very much. But if its the only way to get home, I suppose I'm going to have to." Cilan sighed reluctantly. The normally flamboyant Conisseur was doing his best to adapt to the circumstances of battle. But Brock knew that the situation, to him, was very somber.

Cilan's Urumi blade lashed out like a whip, slicing and snapping the air. It was a terrifying and awe inspiring sight. Brock stood upright, his movements sharp and strong.

By contrast, Dawn and Iris appeared to be dancing. All the grace and majesty of Dawn's contest experience was wrapped up into their technique. Blasts of dragon energy burst from Iris' blades, dragon rage ripping the air.

And then out of the mist, Dawn and Iris saw the figure that started all this. Cuatemoc of Tenochtitlan, the Aztec Kisshin's egg who was second to Montezuma until he'd died attacking Dawn and Iris. "Iris. Lets finish this."

"Yes."

The two of them turned on a heel, "CUATEMOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCCCC!" They roared as one. "SOUL RESONANCE!" Dawn and Iris began to resonate, Iris' twin blade form splitting into massive claws of energy. Behind them, two dragon like wings of energy opened. The eyes of Reshiram and Zekrom on Iris' weapon form glowed brilliant red and blue.

Cuatemoc was dressed in a jaguar skin and wood plate armor. He carried an enormous shield and a huge obsidian spear. "So, Montezuma's killer comes to me, how wonderful, I won't have to worry about hunting you down!" he blocked the blow on his shield.

"I DONT THINK SO!" Dawn yelled. "your shaman infected Iris' Excadrill with Black blood! I CANT LET YOU WALK AWAY FROM HERE!"

Pink light began to glow from the two, forming into the shape of a dragon. "Amazing, as their rate of resonance rises, the image of a dragon becomes clearer and clearer." Soul observed. "Those two will be absolutely amazing when they have the chance to practice their technique."

"Resonance art, Palkia form!" The dragon and shinigami energy mix formed into an image of Palkia. Dawn and Iris glared at Cuatemoc. Dawn's eyes glowed. "Cuatemoc, the gods of our world themselves have given us the power to stand against you. Spacial RENDING!"

Cuatemoc seemed to suddenly stretch and rip. Dawn felt sick to her stomach, that was Palkia's ultimate attack she'd just used. But she felt so bad using it on an opponent, even an evil demon like Cuatemoc. Spacial rending wrent the space that an enemy occupied, tearing huge cuts and gashes in their body.

**It is because you have the urge for mercy that I bless you.** Whispered Mesprit into Dawn's mind.

Mewtwo smiled a small, smug smile, loosing psionic chaos over the battlefield. Lifting kisshins eggs and blasting them with the power of his mind. **Such monsters will not threaten the peace on my world.**

Ghost pokemon swooped and dove, twisting and weaving and firing blasts of ghost energy. Fantina hovered over the battlefield on her broom, sniping the enemy from above with pin point precision. A kisshin's egg attempting to behead a Meister suddenly found a puncture hole from a stiletto heal in its head and a Zebstrika hoof kicking it in the rear end, sending the demon flying into Elesa's fist as the Gymleader and witch yawned. "So boring." Elesa sighed as the Kisshin dissolved into black whirlwinds of energy and a red soul. "Bring me an opponent that's fast enough to keep up with me."

Gardenia swooped and dove between the pokemon and meisters, rescuing the wounded a pair at a time and carrying them away from the battle lines to waiting medical teams. Her Roserade destroyed any kisshin's egg that came at her at range. Whorls and spins of fire from Flannery's fists blasted the enemy to cinders as she leapt and danced like the flames she commanded. "By the sword of great Saint Michael by the pyre of Cuchulain, baying as the hound of ulster, faerie fires rage and rain!" (1)

Ash shivered, he handed over his first Kisshin's egg soul to Gary. Gary slipped out of weapon form while Charizard shielded them. "Quick, get it down."

"you're forgetting I have to get my stomach to accept it." Gary said around the Kisshin's egg soul in his mouth. He knawed on it a bit until his stomach growled, and then he slurped it up, disappearing into weapon form.

At that moment Maka and Soul poked their heads under Charizard's wings, well, Maka's head since Soul was in weapon form. "Dude." He changed his upper body back. "Just change the upper half of your body back if you got to eat it on the fly." Soul grinned.

A pulse of energy came from Gary's body as his stomach began to process the Kisshin's egg into energy. "Didn't even know you could do that."

"See if you can get the hang of it by the end of the battle." Maka grinned. "Come on Ash, we have work to do!"

"Yeah." Ash stood, his body glittering with energy as he powered up his wavelength.

"Right, do Soul resonance just like I taught you." Maka stood back to back with Ash.

Ash closed his eyes. "Ready Gary?"

"Do you even have to ask?" Gary asked.

Ash laughed, body glowing with energy from his resonance with Gary. This was amazing, he could feel the soul, the very essence of the man he loved. His scythe form extended, growing and glowing into the signature witch hunter attack of scythe meisters. Maka looked on in pride, and she could feel Soul smile in the black void that weapons minds hovered in when transformed. "Now thats a beautiful..." Soul started, except that a kisshin's egg crashed a massive bear like paw down at them.

"I am Cave Bear!" The kisshin's egg roared. "I will be your opponent!"

"You just picked a fight with the wrong deathscythe pair." Maka snickered. "Ready Soul?"

"You got it."

"WITCH HUNTER!" Maka and Ash roared at once, each charging a different opponent.

Crack! Dead kisshin's egg. Cilan snatched it out of the air, half changing back into a human, and downed it just in time for Brock to block another incoming attack.

Somewhere in this mess, Elesa found Blackstar and Tsubaki. "need a hand? I like kicking things and you seem to like punching them." she flipped her braid flippantly, like she was standing on a beach. "I figure we should team up! We'd work together so well."

But the real show stopper was Iris and Dawn up against Cuatemoc the Jaguar Warrior. Their attacks clashed midair, sending showers of energy and sparks down upon the battlefield. Iris' weapon ability had created a pink energy drawing of Palkia around Dawn, and the projection roared, twisting and lashing and literally rending space to rip gashes and holes into the kisshins eggs they were slaughtering. Dawn's whole body was alight with bright pink divine energy. High above the battlefield on the back of a Garchomp borrowed from Tiamat, the pair inspired awe in the DWMA fighters and FEAR in the hearts of the enemy.

Suddenly Ash's body lit up, the image of a crow with a skull for a face surrounded him, deep rich midnight blue. Lightning sparked over the surface of Gary's weapon form, and a crescent of it arched off of his blade, turning a normal witch hunter into an electric slice of death. "GREAT THUNDER!" Ash roared, the attack coming to his mind even as he learned it.

Pikachu followed up the attack, riding on Tranquil's back and weaving and ducking in between the combatants, leaping from its back to execute volt tackles and electro balls and blocking incoming talons with iron tail. "Piiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii KAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Pikachu let out a primal yell of fierce joy as Tranquil spiraled around Ash, sweeping up into the sky only to dive again, slicing out at a Kisshin's eyes before Pikachu finished it off. "CHUUUUUU!" Pikachu's body became enveloped in the same deep blue light as Ash. "PIIIIKA!" The aura formed around Pikachu and Tranquil into a tiny dark blue Zapdos like shape as the divine energy of the Legendary Pokemon of Lightning filled the pokemon with strength far beyond what Pikachu was normally capable of. An enormous panther kisshin closed on Ash jaws raised to try and bite down on his head, and Pikachu directed Tranquil down, down, down into the Melee. "PIIIIIIIIIIIIKACHUUUUU!" A deep blue volt tackle streaked through the night, abandoning his mount, the pokemon flew into the melee with a fury unrivaled by any battle he'd fought in the pokemon league. This wasn't a fight for his trainer's life, it was a fight to protect his soul.

The Panther kisshin batted angrily at Pikachu, swatting him into a rock. Pikachu groaned, trying to clear its head. Pikachu's vision was swimming. A second kick broke the rock, and sent Pikachu flying into a thicket of sage brush half destroyed by the battle. "Mmmm, mousey soul. Delicious." the Kisshin growled, taking a single claw and sadistically cutting the pokemon's stomach. "I like the guts first, its like slurping spaghetti."

Pikachu's vision blacked out, one minute the pokemon was dying, the kisshin striking down any attempt by Ash and Gary to save it. He heard Umbreon screaming, first in rage then in pain and Charizard's snarl of outrage.

And then suddenly his vision swum back in. Pikachu blinked. His body was completely unharmed! One minute he'd been cut down the stomach and dying, the next... the pokemon was confused. His species never learned healing techniques. So what happened?

"Interesting." Kid was covering Pikachu. "Looks like we have an immortal pokemon now."

"Pika?" Pikachu head tilted, confused.

"I'll explain later, but it looks like you can't die. Just be careful in case I'm wrong okay?"

"chuuuu!" Pikachu nodded, cheeks sparking. "Piiiiiiiiiiikaaaaaa!" It called to the sky. "Tranquil!" Tranquil swept in, carrying the electric mouse pokemon up and away into the sky.

Cuatemoc was definitely weakening. Dawn could feel it, just the way she could feel it when she'd turned the tide of a pokemon contest. The Kisshin's egg sneered up at her as the two of them clashed, Iris' twin sword form had transformed into enormous dragon claws, and Dawn's form was slowly shifting as their resonanating souls shifted slightly in tone. Suddenly their bodies glowed blue, and the Palkia shaped energy around Dawn transformed in shape into Dialga shaped energy. (2)

Dawn opened her mouth, and out came a roar, a combined roar of hers and Iris' voices, a roar from their very souls. Below, every pokemon that had the vocal chords to do so, raised their heads and roared as one. "Cuatemoc, lets finish this in one blow." The "wings" on the translucent blue dialga flapped, a huge powerful down stroke, and they shot forwards.

"Fine with me, MONTEZUMA! BE AVENGED! GODS OF THE AZTECS, I OFFER THEE A SACRIFICE!" Cuatemoc roared, raising his obsidian spear and casting aside his shield.

Time for Dawn seemed to slow down. And she thought to herself. **Mesprit, please, guide my blade!**

At the same time, Iris prayed. **Lord Zekrom, please help me fulfill my ideal. I want to protect my friends. And I want to go HOME.**

The two fighters crossed paths midair at high speed, even though time seemed to slow down for Dawn and Iris. Dawn slashed with Iris' claws. Cuatemoc attempted to run her through, but at the very last instant she twisted aside from a fatal blow, instead getting scored across the side.

Dawn heard a deep voice, and saw in her head the image of Dialga standing over her and Iris. "Child of Mesprit, Child of the Holy Dragons, I confer my blessing."

* * *

"Amazing..." Far off Stein was watching Dawn's battle in the mirror. "She slowed Cuatemoc's perception of time down so that he missed her."

* * *

Dawn could barely believe it, as Cuatemoc fell from the sky. He hit the ground with a thump, clearly the kisshin's egg was dying. Dawn sank to the ground, landing nimbly but wounded in front of Cuatemoc.

"How... how... how could the Sun God reject my sacrifice? I only wish to offer Him sustenance..." Cuatemoc sputtered weakly. Dawn stood over him quietly. The dying Kisshin's vision swum in and out, and suddenly overlaid over Dawn and Iris' figure were Mesprit and Zekrom. "n... now I understand... the Gods of the old world... have blessed you... with the light... of the... s..." and that was Cuatemoc's dying word. As he lost consciousness, he saw Mesprit looking down at him, pityingly.** you do not... look upon me with anger?** Mesprit's reply was very simple. **I forgive you, rest in peace, child of the Aztecs.**

Cuatemoc's form, so slowly, almost reluctantly, dissolved into a whorl of black light, and left a brilliant red soul with obsidian markings shaped like the sun in its wake.

And suddenly the silence, the slow motion, the isolation from the larger world, erupted into all the horrible noises, sights, smells and chaos of battle.

"DAWN!" Dawn collapsed, Ash tried to get to her.

But Blackstar got there first, scooping up the unconscious meister and her weapon, and then the Kisshin's egg soul they'd just collected. "I got you Dawn. We've got to get you to the med tent!"

Blackstar aimed three attacks straight up, and Gardenia swept in with Roserade on her broom and a Flygon swooped down behind her. The Flygon let Blackstar climb aboard with Dawn and Iris. And they flew from the hell that was the battlefield.

"Blackstar?" Iris asked shyly from weapon form.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

Dawn smiled in her sleep. "no need... to worry... black... star..."

* * *

1. Saint Michael the Archangel is said to wield a flaming sword. Cuchulain is a legendary Celtic hero who's death was portended by the Morrigan. Cuchulain was also known as the Hound of Ulster. There were also portals into the realm of faeries that were said to appear at Beltane, in which one could look into a rock and see the other side of a faerie's fireplace.

2. I'm not quite sure how to describe it, but picture a transparent image of the legendary pokemon over their physical shape.


	9. Chapter 9

Dawn's head pounded. She could hear loud music blaring in the courtyard below, and the yelling and other noises indicative of a wild party somewhere out a nearby window. LMFAO Shots, the bass felt like there was a mosh pit in her head.

She could hear Soul and Blackstar somewhere down the nearby hallway chanting along with the music,

"If you aint gettin' drunk get the fuck out the club  
If you aint takin' shots get the fuck out the club  
If you aint come to party get the fuck out the club  
Now where my alcoholics let me see your hands up  
(what you drinking on)  
Yeah  
Jager-Bombs  
Lemon Drops  
Buttery Nipples  
Jello Shots  
Kamakazis  
Three Wise Men  
Fuck all that shit  
Give me some gin!"

Soul laughed a belly laugh. "WE SHOW'D 'EM!"

"YAHOO! 56 SOULS IN ONE BATTLE! A BIG MAN LIKE ME HAS HIT THE JACKPO..."

"LUUUUUUUUUP!" Piplup had seemed to have enough, for suddenly Blackstar and Soul ran by the dispensary door, being chased by a peck attack.

Only for Soul to run right onto Maka's copy of Rogets Thesaurus. He lay there sprawled in the door, head bleeding. A moment later BAM! Blackstar fell to the ground. "And now the big man, has a big lump." Maka said in a loud whisper and with a demonic grin. "SHHHH! Dawn's still unconscious."

"i'm awake... thanks to Soul and Blackstar." Dawn sweatdropped, groaning in pain. "The music is beating a drum in my head."

"I'll get you an asprin. Dawn your mother was here earlier, she's having a few words with Lord Death."

"And the noise outside?" Whispers in the dark began to play, by Skillet.

"They're partying in the courtyard."

Gary was the one who had put "whispers in the dark" on. Kilik had been Djing for the impromptu party in the courtyard. Why not? Only a few Chupas remained scattered in the desert. He crept up behind Ash and swept his old Rival up into his arms.

Ash squeaked, blushing cutely. "Dance with me." Gary said huskily, leaning over Ash.

The two began a wild dance to the elegant melody. Above, Elesa and Fantina began to use magic to set off fireworks. The blooms crackled across the sky.

While the music was on the "anguished guitars" kick, Kilik added in another song, "Collapse" by Saosin. (1) The music was anguished and determined and fierce all at once. Meisters and weapons and pokemon celebrated their success in the courtyard below.

_So, tell me is it right?_

_To feel like we're only getting smaller_

_And if we were to find the feeling_

_But I'm only treading water_

_We've made a few mistakes, it's not worth it to say_

_(we are taught what to feel)_

While Ash and Gary's dance was spirited, neither of the pair ended up upside down in the process. However, Iris' dance was wild, acrobatic, and spirited. Cilan's Pansage, her Emolga, and a couple of Tranquil joined into the crazy display of whirling summersaults, flips, kicks, and spins.

Maka had driven Soul and Blackstar outside to keep them from bothering Dawn, leaving the coordinator to cuddle with her Piplup. Kid all but dragged Soul onto the dancefloor. Soul found Kid a delight to dance with once he stopped trying to be symmetrical when he did it. His body was light, lithe, and lean, but /very/ strong.

Blackstar stared at Iris as she turned the music into a wild, elaborate dance of person, wings, paws, and tails. His jaw all but hit the floor, a blush rising to his cheeks. She wasn't much to look at at first, but Iris was drop dead /gorgeous/ when she danced.

_'Cause we are the only ones, we will get up_

_And we are aware, 'cause we've been through it_

_And we are the only ones, we will carry each other on our own_

Cilan watched from the sidelines, Brock was teaching him one of his soup recipes while they cooked for the party. "So..."

"So... thirty of those blasted things I had to eat."

"Dawn got fourty two and Ash 54."

Stein sighed, Spirit had fallen asleep at his side with his head on his shoulder. The scientist just sat there, smoking a cigarette. Professors Birch and Juniper sat nearby. Spirit snuggled into his shoulder. "Got a light?" Birch held out an unlit cigarette.

Stein snorted and held his out to light Birch's. "You don't strike me as a smoker."

"Only on special occasions. Usually Nicotine makes me sick." Birch replied. "I'd say this victory counts."

"I'd agree."

On the balcony above, Akane and Clay stood watching the party. A small corps of Pokemon had joined them. The Meister/weapon pair were each wearing a rough brown poncho, one that matched that of the purple and white, cat like pokemon that stood beside them, an elegant feathered skull mask hanging from the side of his face. A weathered Zoroark bent his head for Akane, and the Meister newly minted trainer stroked his muzzle. A large Mandibuzz, a Scrafty, a burly Magmar, a Dodrio missing an eye on its center head, and two chimchar seemed to have attached themselves to the duo. Meowth and Pikachu X, the clones Mewtwo had created a long time ago, hopped up onto the railing. Clay patted them both briefly. **Well**? Mewtwo asked.

"Meeeoooowwwth outh."

"chuuuuu..."

**They say they will go where I do.** Mewtwo replied. **And I choose to travel with you, to explore this strange land created by the legendary pokemon.**

"Its a dangerous land Mewtwo, I won't lie to you."

**I am one of my world's strongest. The creatures known as Kisshin are beneath me.**

"Then you can stay as long as you like."

Mewtwo smiled.** I will never be any human's pokemon, but if you treat me as you would your partner Clay, that would be fine with me.**

"Partners then, not pokemon and trainer, but partners."

_Believe the sound when the truth will send you falling_

_You see the lies but your mind isn't open_

_Now I hear you calling_

_We've made a few mistakes, it's not worth it to say_

_(we are taught what to feel)_

Misty smiled over at Maka, the two looking out over the city and watching the fireworks. "So Maka, do you know any water loving weapons looking for a Meister? I could use some help around the gym."

"Uh, if you inquire around, you should be able to find an older weapon looking for a field assignment." Maka told her. Misty nodded.

May sighed from where she was dancing with Drew. "I'm going on the road again. I want to see if Sinnoh is as good as they say it is. And Max gets to choose his first pokemon soon. So he's gonna come with me and choose from the Sinnoh Starters."

"He should choose Chimchar."

"I know, its the perfect match. This was an interesting incident." May giggled.

"It is. I think I'm going to enroll at Shibusen. I still want to become a top coordinator, but this world intreagues me."

"I don't want to... enroll I mean." May said quietly. "I'm a great coordinator, but I hated fighting the Chupas."

"Suit yourself."

_'Cause we are the only ones, we will get up_

_And we are aware, 'cause we've been through it_

_And we are the only ones, we will carry each other on our own_

"a teacher? ME?" Fennel asked, jaw dropping.

"Why not?" Shinigami-sama asked. "Your title /is/ Professor."

"I... I know... its just." The two were on the highest balcony with Lenora. "I never thought of teaching. I'm a researcher..."

"We're going to need someone skilled in pokemon after that." Shinigami-sama pointed to the south in the direction of the battle with the Chupas. "Just as Sinnoh will need someone skilled in fighting Kisshins."

"Alright." Fennel beamed. "I'd be very happy to join the staff here. When can I start?"

"You have one week." Shinigami-sama turned to Lenora. "You're welcome to take the job too."

"I can't do more than the occasional lecture. Sorry mister Death, but I've got a gym to run and a museum to administer. And my husband Hawes is waiting for me. Eventually however, you may want to open a pokemon gym here."

"I'll keep that under advisement." Shinigami-sama chuckled.

Dawn dreaded her mother coming to confront her. But it didn't happen for another hour.

Then she heard footsteps shuffling down the hall. "Mom?"

"Its me." Zoe said with a grin. "I wanted to let you know, I'm enrolling here at Shibusen. My goal is to make Sinnoh's first deathscythe."

"You'll have to catch up to me then."

"hah! Yeah I'll have to! But I don't mind." Zoe sat next to Dawn, wrapping her arms around her former rival, now Girlfriend. Dawn leaned up to kiss Zoe. "Does it bother you?"

"Does what bother me?"

"I'll live for a long time, but you won't. That kinda makes me sad."

"But doesn't it make the time I am alive that much more special?" Zoe asked.

"Yes. And I'll be so sad when its over." Dawn kissed Zoe again, a little more tenderly.

More footsteps, and a sleepy "glaaaaa..."

Dawn's mother stood in the doorway with her Glameow. Her jaw dropped when she saw Dawn kissing Zoe. "Mom..." Dawn blushed furiously.

"D... Dawn... oh my goodness sweetie." Zoe stepped aside, as Dawn found herself squeezed tightly by her mother. "Dawn Shinigami-sama told me... I have something to give you on your journey." Dawn felt something being carefully draped over the side of her head.

It was a dragon pokemon mask. The dragon depicted was a highly stylized Arceus skull, the back crest curving over the head of the wearer. "Our family, Tiamat said this mask belonged to the very first Death. She said in the hands of the descendant of the first Death, the eyes will glow the same blue as a Soul. But it hasn't ever responded to me."

Dawn took the mask gingerly in her hands and pulled it down over her head. Zoe fetched a mirror. Johanna's jaw dropped. Dawn looked. "Perhaps thats why the portal opened for you Dawn." Zoe suggested. "maybe its because you're descended from the first Death."

_Open your eyes and let all the light in_

_Open your eyes up a little more _

_I'm sure it will soon come out_

The mask's eyes glowed an ethereal pale blue. "Mom, can you please keep this to yourself?"

"Sure..." Suddenly, Dawn felt a lot better about being a shinigami. Perhaps her heart had been drawn to others of her kind. She really should apologize to Kid.

Ash stayed another three nights, studying, training, attending classes with the Shibusen students while Dawn recovered her energy. Pikachu, and the other pokemon he'd had on him, had been confirmed as having transformed into Immortals as a byproduct of his wavelength being so strong. Gary's pokemon, Cilan's pokemon, Dawn's pokemon, Brock's pokemon, and Iris' pokemon had all experienced unexplained surges in their pokeballs. The surges had been the wavelengths of their trainers, calling out with their hearts to follow them as their Immortal Protectors. They and all their pokemon would live forever.

Finally the day came when Spirit, Stein, Marie, and Azusa drove transports out to the portal. Several pokemon ran beside them, all wild, all going to see the trainers off or planning to go home. Many of them had decided to stay and brave the Kisshin's madness as it descended.

They stepped off the transports, and Maka smiled as she said goodbye to her new friends. "Hey, it won't be goodbye for long, but Soul, Blackstar, Tsubaki and I have a mission to a small village. We'll have to catch our own transports tonight. We'll come back soon though."

"We're gonna catch us a Sky Whale!" Soul exclaimed cheerfully. "I can't wait to see what it tastes like!"

"In the meantime, I'm planning on traveling as much as I can." Kid scratched his Mincinno behind the ears where he stood with Liz and Patti. Patti was riding on a Girafarig that had taken a liking to her, happy as a lark.

"Kid did it, we're both at 99 souls, so we're hoping that one of the good witches on your side of the portal can help us train to get the witches souls we need to become deathscythes." Liz grinned faintly, petting the one ghost pokemon she seemed able to handle touching, a bratty female Yamask with a barette attached to her head and a tongue piercing.

_'Cause we are the only ones, we will get up_

_And we are aware, 'cause we've been through it_

_And we are the only ones, we will carry each other on our own_

"Then I guess we'd better get going." Ash hefted his pack. Charizard beamed, roaring slightly and nuzzling his trainer. Then Ash lead the group through the portal.

A stiff wind seemed to be trying to force them back to the Shibusen side of the portal, but Ash was determined. He and the pokemon returning to their correct world, and the trainers struggling their way back, fought the wind where there should be no wind, and came out on the other side in bright sunlight.

"What?" Kid blinked.

"The portal moved!" Iris exclaimed. "This is my homeland! The village of dragons."

Down below, construction had begun of what would be the Unova branch of Shibusen. "Both a Unova and a Sinnoh base will be built." Kid assured the trainers. "Look there!"

A large pokemon center was being constructed where the village had had none before, and a gym! And on the Pokemon Gym, a gift to the townsfolk was being mounted. A pair of Granite dragon heads, glittering white against the black building.

"Didn't you have a gym before this? I thought Master Drayden was your gym leader." Ash blinked.

"We didn't have a gym building, just a small field and some bleachers, but yes, Drayden is our gym leader." Tiamat explained.

_Open your eyes and let all the light in_

_Open your eyes up a little more _

_I'm sure it will soon come out_

"It looks like they're building a brand new city down there!" Dawn exclaimed.

"They are, it looks as if they're trying to imitate Death City to a degree." Tiamat mused.

"What's the name of this valley anyway?" Zoe was picking her way nimbly down the steep hillside towards the village, the rest of the group walking with her.

"Opalucid Valley." Tiamat replied. "It was named for the opals mined here centuries ago."

_'Cause we are the only ones, we will get up_

_And we are aware, 'cause we've been through it_

_And we are the only ones, we will carry each other on our own_

"Then I suppose its only fitting, that we rename this place Opalucid City." Iris said with a huge grin. "Cause it sure isn't a village anymore!"

Ash laughed. "C'mon Kid! Lets go have a pokemon battle! C'mon c'mon c'mon!" Ash dragged the fellow shinigami away down the hill.

* * *

_Until the day I die_

_I'll spill my heart for you_

_Until the day I die_

_I'll spill my heart_

Time passed, as it always does. Ash matured into a fully grown shinigami, as did his friends. The Kisshin fell. Pokemon immigrated wholesale to Death City and the desert around it and eventually to the wider world. Akane, Clay and Mewtwo eventually became head of Shibusen's Intelligence Gathering Agency.

Finally, Ash reached his dream, becoming a pokemon master at the age of 24. For many years, He, Gary, Dawn, Iris, Cilan and Brock traveled and studied together. But once they'd graduated from Shibusen and become masters of their respective fields, there wasn't really much to Journey on for. Ash settled down in Sinnoh, in the newly dubbed "Scythetown" situated midway between Eterna, Jubilife, and Oreburg Cities. He became its Frontier Brain, Battleshrine Daimyo Ash Ketchum. Gary became the town's gym leader. Dawn and May won two seperate Grand Festivals and each won three Wallace Cup Ribbons apiece. Eventually the two top Coordinators organized a massive inter region festival for pokemon contests, the Amica Festival, held every four years in Hearthome City, the land of Heart, Hearth, and Home. It had three contest tournaments in it each yielding a ribbon, as well as classes in how to be a pokemon coordinator for beginners.

Gary became a deathscythe, and was assigned as the Deathscythe in charge of Sinnoh. Iris rose as well, and she and Dawn were appointed to protect Unova. Drew became the Deathscythe Meister in charge of Hoen. Cilan and Brock took awhile to try and figure out where to go, but eventually they were given an assignment protecting Kanto. However, due to his responsibilities as Striaton Gym leader, Cilan spent three months of the year in Striaton City with his brothers. Misty eventually forced her sisters to take back their Gym and settled down as the Deathscythe Meister in charge of Johto. Soon after the incident with the portal, Cilan's two brothers also emerged as weapons. Cress as a trident, and Chili as a spear.

_As years go by I race the clock with you_

_But if you died right now you know that I'd die to, I'd die too_

_You remind me of the times when I knew who I was_

_(When I knew who I was)_

_But still the second hand will catch us like it always does_

Iris and Blackstar were married in a handfasting ceremony when Iris turned 26, the two of them devoted mates, a Shamaness and a Ninja. And once Kid had finally felt comfortable in his blossoming relationship with Deathscythe Soul Eater Evans, the two of them finally slew off the onus of birth control. Kid wanted to have a /lot/ of children. He developed a parental instinct so strong that baby shinigami or baby pokemon, he really didn't care. Like his father, his instinct for caring for children was unmatched. And while his symmetry neurosis proved to act up while he was pregnant, and the madness he had fought against since the incident with Noah tended to flair up post partum, he wouldn't trade his family for anything.

Shibusen and the Pokemon world began active trade, and over the years good witches and bad began to appear, coming and going as the Kisshin's darkness began to wane. Immortals began to crop up more frequently, both human and pokemon, and again, good and bad ones seemed to be mixed together. Mabaa was dethroned by Tiamat, as the Priestess of Dragons united most of her fellow witches on both worlds together. The Sway of Magic began to weaken its hold upon magical kin. Now you could tell by the white or green souls of a witch, who was vulnerable to it and who was not.

Chrona and Maka got married, but Chrona remained frail for the rest of his/her life. The pinkette demon swordsman, the last of the Gorgons, could only stand or walk for a few hours at a time, and only run by hardening the black blood and making it move instead of his/her arms and legs. Still, the demon swordsman proved able to fight from a wheelchair if need be. Chrona and Maka had three children, which put Spirit over the MOON. Spirit never did find another wife, Kami was too much the love of his life, but he and Stein eventually fell into a tumultuous semi romantic sexual relationship. It grossed Maka out no end however.

Marie became the first deathscythe to earn a degree in pokemon nursing, and she became a very skilled master of psychic pokemon, using a Munna she'd adopted as a therepy pokemon for the students. She found a husband among the gym leaders of the other world, and Azusa remarked that perhaps Marie couldn't keep a man before then, because the man for her didn't exist on their world. Eventually, Marie started a pokemon daycare, and co ran the pokemon center for Death City with a nurse Joy.

_Until the day I die_

_(Until the day I die)_

_I'll spill my heart for you, for you_

_Until the day I die_

_(Until the day I die)_

_I'll spill my heart for you_

And in Death City...

"My name is Max, my father is the Leader of Petalburg City Gym. I and my pokemon have come here to challenge you to a battle!" Max thrust his pokeball heroically towards Death the Kid.

The Gym Leader of Death City smirked. "If you want this Skull Badge, you'll have to beat me in a wonderfully symmetrical double battle."

Max sweatdropped. "Ho boy, what is it with this guy and symmetry Monferno?"

"Monferno mon mon!"

Kid snorted. Soul rolled his eyes and wrapped his arms around his mate. "Kid's got OCD, because of his Asymmetriphobia, every gym battle here is a double battle."

"You aren't even the leader of this Gym! You're the Catacomb Pianist, a Frontier Brain!" Max yelled. "Why are you hugging him! Why are you even here?"

"Soul sometimes fights double battles alongside me instead of letting me fight alone. But today its just me, he's our referee."

Max groaned. This was going to be trouble, but beside him Monferno was trembling in delight. "Just stop hugging each other and get our battle on already! I don't have all day!"

"So be it. Cincinno!" Kid threw his pokeballs. "Simisage!"

Max growled. "Lets go Monferno! Kirlia!"

The two pokemon leapt forth from their places at Max's side.

Kid smirked. "First shot, Simisage, Bullet Seed, Cincinno, Swift."

The two pokemon dropped to either side of Max's team. Kid smirked smugly as they fired on them from both sides. "Bang, have a nice dream."

**Owari**

* * *

1. http:/www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=iqlG3RhjYyY&feature=BFa&list=FLmssGX0rQaaxdLnN2k4oR4g&lf=endscreen


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